EROS 

v  AND  OTHER,  > 
POEMS 


EDMUND 

DEACON 

PETERSON 


GIFT  OF 


EROS 

AND  OTHER  POEMS 


EROS 

AND  OTHER  POEMS 


BY 

EDMUND  DEACON  PETERSON 


NEW  YORK 

THE  COSMOPOLITAN  PRESS 
1912 


Copyright,  1911,  by 
Edmund  Deacon  Peterson 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

EROS        ...............  13 

EARLY  POEMS 

THE  WISSAHICKON    ...........  16 

SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW     .........  17 

THE  POET  AND  THE  WORLD    ........  18 

MEMORIES    ..............  19 

DOLOROSA     ..............  19 

NEPENTHE        .............  20 

HER  QUESTION  AND  His  ANSWER     ......  21 

ROOM  FOR  THE  INDIAN    ..........  22 

LITTLE  JEANNETTE     ...........  24 

NEW   YEAR'S   EVE     ...........  24 

A  SONG  OF  SUMMER      ..........  25 

BE  TRUE  TO  THY  LIGHT     .........  26 

THE  SPARROW       ............  27 

ONE  OF  LIFE'S  MYSTERIES    .........  28 

CORA'S  LAMENT     ............  28 

GHERETIEN        .............  29 

LINES  WRITTEN  IN  AN  ALBUM     .......  30 

MOLLIE         ..............  30 

BE  CAREFUL  WHAT  You   SAY     .......  32 

CHRIST  COMES  TO  ALL  WHO  OPE  THE  DOOR     ...  33 

EQUALITY  OF  ALL  MEN  BEFORE  GOD     .....  34 

HETTY     ...............  35 

DULCE  DOMUM     ............  36 

HOPE  AND  LOVE     ............  37 

A  LAW  STUDENT'S  REVERY      ........  38 

ITALY      ...............  39 

MY  DARLING    .............  40 

SPRING  LOVE  SONG     ...........  41 

JEAN       ...............  41 

THE  BLUES      .............  42 

BIRDIE     ...............  43 

VIRTUE  AND  VICE     ...........  44 

THE  MAN  WHO  KNOWS  IT  ALL    .......  45 

LALLY     ...............  46 

EQUALITY    ..............  47 

PURITAN  AND  QUAKER    ..........  48 

MISCELLANEOUS  POEMS 

THE  OLD,  OLD  STORY     ..........  51 

5 


295JJ89 


6  .  :  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

A  VALENTINE 51 

His   OWN  ARE  SAFE 52 

CHARACTER 53 

THE  MAID  BELOVED 53 

THE    MODERN    "LOCKING-CHAMBER" 54 

SUNSHINE        55 

THE  VOICE  OF  A  CHILD 55 

LINES 56 

APRIL'S  CHILDREN 56 

IN  DREAMS,  AS  'TWERE,  LIFE  PASSES  BY     ....  57 

GREAVES  THE  HERETIC 58 

NICE 59 

DEATH 59 

THE  CITY        60 

CONSERVATIVE  AND   ICONOCLAST 61 

DARWINISM 61 

LONGINGS    FOR    HEAVEN 63 

INTUITION    AND    REASON 64 

PROGRESS 64 

THE  EARTH,  THE  WORLD  AND  THE  PROPHET     ...  65 

IT  Is  THE  LORD 66 

ENOUGH 67 

THE  GREAT   CHURCH   OUT-OF-DOORS 67 

DID  CHRIST  DIE  FOR  NAUGHT? 68 

THE    NEW    EVANGEL 69 

IN  THE  SHADE  OF  THE  VINEYARD  WALL     ....  71 

THE    WISSAHICKON    HILLS 72 

LINES 73 

EVENTS        ^ 74 

LINES           74 

BY  THE  SEA 75 

SLEEPS  SHE  A  SPACE? 75 

THE  MARTYR 76 

LIFE'S  AFTERNOON 77 

WHAT  MUST  I  Do  TO  BE  SAVED? 78 

LINES           78 

How    THE   LATE    BISHOP   BARKER    PLAYED    CRICKET 

WHEN  A  BOY 79 

THERE  Is  A  LAND  OF  PURE  DELIGHT 81 

THE  OUTSIDER 81 

THE  DEAR  LORD  KNOWS 82 

A  PRAYER 82 

WOMAN'S  LOVE 83 

A  PRAYER 83 

THE  SAVAGE  STILL  PERSISTS 84 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

ARISE  AND   SHINE 84 

THE    BIGOT 85 

THE  WICKED  WORLD  AND  SALVATION 85 

NEW  YORK 86 

POETS  AND  PROPHETS  AND  THE  WORLD 88 

THE  MIND  OF  MAN  Is  PRONE  TO  ERR 90 

SALVATION'S  ONLY  PLAN  THAT'LL  NOT  BETRAY     .     .  90 

TRUE  EVEN  UNTO  DEATH 91 

NEW    YEAR'S    EVE 91 

THE  GRAND  OLD  MEN 92 

LOVE   AND    DEATH 93 

RESTING  BY  THE  SUMMER  SEA 94 

OH,  WHO  CAN  DOUBT? 94 

RESPITE 95 

PRECIOUS  Is   GOLD 95 

VIOLETS  FROM  THE  "LITTLE  LOT" 96 

THE  NOTE  OF  DESPAIR 96 

THE  NOTE  OF  REJOICING 97 

THE  HERMIT 98 

FAIRYLAND        107 

LOVER'S  LANE 109 

THE  WORD  THAT  Is  SWEETEST no 

LINES          in 

MY    BOYHOOD   SWEETHEART in 

A  TRUCE,  A  TRUCE  TO  LOVE'S  ALARMS 112 

BY  THE  RIVER                                                              .  112 


PREFACE 

Herewith  the  author  submits  to  the  public  his 
first  book  —  being  a  collection  of  his  verses,  which 
were  written  at  intervals  through  a  number  of 
years,  some  of  them  having  already  been  published 
from  time  to  time  in  newspapers,  magazines,  etc., 
in  different  parts  of  the  country  where  he  happened 
to  be  living,  as  he  was  somewhat  of  a  wanderer. 

And  he  here  extends  his  thanks  to  the  Boston 
Post  for  copies  of  certain  poems  (namely  "  Virtue 
and  Vice,"  "  The  Man  Who  Knows  It  All,"  "  Lally," 
"Equality"  and  "Puritan  and  Quaker"  — to  be 
found  on  pages  44-48  of  this  volume,  which  were 
published  in  that  newspaper  during  the  year  1883  — 
twenty-nine  years  ago. 

As  to  his  early  poems,  it  is  hoped  that  if  they 
have  the  faults  of  youth,  they  have  the  merits  of 
youth  also. 

And  in  regard  to  his  Character  Pieces,  the  dis 
cerning  reader  can  readily  understand  that  the 
views  thus  expressed  are  quite  often  not  a  complete 
statement  of  the  views  of  the  author,  as  Truth  is 
many-sided. 


EROS 


EROS 

PROEM 

THEY  err  who  deem  the  old  gods  dead, 
All  round  the  world  they  still  hold  sway,- 

On  all  their  altars  fires  are  fed 
By  zealous  devotees  to-day. 

Great  Jupiter,  Odin  and  Thor, — 

Apollo,  Mammon,  Venus,  Pan, 
Bacchus  and  Mars,  and  many  more, 

Are  they  not  worshiped  still  by  man? 

Within  the  heart,  behind  the  veil 
And  mask  of  all  the  make-believe 

Their  altars  flame  and  ne'er  grow  pale, 
They  still  their  victories  achieve. 


"  Venus  !  "  "  Eros !  "  "  Cupid !  "  cried 

The  happy  Greeks  in  song  and  prayer ; 
And  Love  their  sculptors  deified 
In  statues  wondrous  fair. 

In  Greece  and  Rome  by  many  a  name 
In  ancient  times  men  worshiped  thee, 

O  Love!  and  still  to-day  the  same 
Before  thy  shrine  we  bend  the  knee. 
13 


14     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


II 


From  center  to  circumference 
Life's  citadel  doth  shake, — 

And  what  it  is,  or  why,  or  whence, 
We  scarce  can  answer  make. 

It  is  the  tidal  wave  of  love, 
With  all  its  mighty  throes !  — 

But  if  it  cometh  from  above 
Or  from  below  —  God  knows. 

O  magic  spark  that  kindleth  love, 
To  fill  our  hearts  with  ecstasy, — 

If  from  below  or  from  above, 
Divine  indeed  thou  sure  must  be ! 


Ill 

Though  uncontrollable  thy  flame, 

That  burns  like  straw  our  doubts  and  fears,- 

We  cannot  thy  fine  frenzy  blame, 
That  such  a  noble  palace  rears. 

The  poor  in  purse  are  poor  no  more, — 
The  beggar  eats  his  crust  and  smiles; 

The  sorrow  of  the  sad  is  o'er, — 
The  weary  rise  and  travel  miles. 

The  proud  man's  pride  is  vanquished  quite,- 
He  shakes  the  humble  by  the  hand ; 

And  many  a  nightmare  dream  takes  flight 
When  love  flies  through  the  land. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     15 

Yet,  brothers,  I  am  well  aware 

This  selfsame  flame  of  love  devours 

Full  many  a  structure  bright  and  fair, 
With  all  its  towers  and  bowers. 

Ah,  me!  for  waste  and  wilderness 

That  witness  love's  destroying  flame, — 

What  villainy  and  heart's  distress, — 
What  wreck  of  lives  and  sin  and  shame ! 


IV 


'  Tis  Venus !  "  cried  the  ancient  Greeks, 

"  Who  moveth  hearts  to  love  — 'tis  she !  - 
From  lovers'  lips  'tis  she  who  speaks, 
And  blinds  them  so  they  cannot  see. 

"  Helena  who  with  Paris  flew, 

And  caused  the  Trojan  war,  the  same, — 
Who  can  believe  fair  Helen  knew 
Her  folly?    Venus  was  to  blame." 

O  goddess  of  the  blindfold  eye 

And  mystery  of  hearts  that  burn !  — 

We  follow  thee  e'en  though  we  die  — 
And  e'en  in  death  to  thee  we  turn ! 

The  world  grows  stale  as  on  we  grope, 
And  e'en  the  sun  in  heaven  palls !  — 

When,  lo,  we  love  —  and  then  we  hope !  — 
And  then  ambition  calls ! 


16     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

At  once  around  us  rise  full  fair 
Shapes  and  images  divine, — 

Tis  now  another  earth  and  air, 
And  we  no  longer  pine :  — 

And  we  Agnostics  sour  that  were, 

Who  scorned  the  truths  the  sages  held, 

Believe  in  all  things  bright  and  fair, 
And  all  the  mighty  truths  of  eld. 


EARLY  POEMS 
THE  WISSAHICKON 

A   SONNET 

ROMANTIC  Wissahickon!  thee  I  love! 
I  love  thy  great  gray,  wrinkled  rocks,  grown  hoar 
With  centuries  — I  love  thy  savage  lore. 
What  need  have  I  of  books  while  now  above 
Beams  the  blue  sky ;  the  throstle  and  the  dove 
Soar  by  together,  and  vague  voices  call 
From  out  the  forest  aisles,  so  still  and  tall? 
Methinks  these  voices  vague,  that  through  the 

grove 

Are  murmurous,  must  be  the  echoes  vast 
Of  human  voices  sounding  from  the  past. 
For  once  where  now  I  walk  with  staff  and 

book  — 

A  student  with  a  dreamy,  listless  look  — 
The  Indian  warrior  strode  to  hunt  the  deer, 
Or  stopt  his  foe  with  the  shrill  war-whoop  here. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     17 

SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW 

BLUE  is  the  sky ;  and  white  clouds  chase 

Each  other  merrily  over  the  face 

Of  the  warm,  bright,  smiling  sun ! 

Tis  noon ;  and  in  a  valley  none 

Has  ever  seen  more  fair! 

Oh !  here  is  beauty  freed  from  care ! 

Creation  yet  with  blissful  dreams 

Is  wrapped  in  sleep!     Here  limpid  streams 

Run  laughing  through  the  wood! 

The  great  trees  stand  as  they  have  stood 

For  ages  —  looking  grandly  down 

On  all  below ;  and  high  cliffs  frown 

Above  you !     But  the  sullen  brow 

Is  lit  and  cheered  with  flowers  now. 

Look  out  upon  the  sunny  plain ! 

The  reapers  reap  the  yellow  grain ! 

They  bend  and  sway,  and  bend  and  sway, 

In  brave  work  all  the  summer's  day ! 

The  tall  corn  waves  on  many  a  hill, 

Or  stands  up  proud  where  winds  are  still ! 

The  quiet  kine  on  acres  wide 

Are  grazing  soberly  side  by  side. 

All,  all  is  beauty!     All  is  peace! 

Surely  naught  will  break  the  lease 

Of  Heaven  reigning  here  this  day  — 

Oh!  angels  o'er  me  tell  me  nay! 

But  hark!     What  noise  is  that  afar? 
King  Thunder  drives  his  battle-car 
Over  the  mountain's  crest ! 
Over  the  mountain,  with  lightnings  bale, 
A  storm  comes  booming  down  the  vale, 


i8     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Disturbing  all,  where  all  was  rest! 

The  terrible  King,  with  terrible  ire, 

Flings  down  his  bolts  of  forked  fire; 

And  wind  and  rain  and  driving  hail 

Leave  devastation  in  their  trail ! 

The  grain,  which  shone  as  bright  as  gold, 

Lies  on  the  earth,  a  prey  to  mold ! 

The  corn  is  bowed  upon  the  hills; 

In  funeral  dirges  flow  the  rills! 

The  reapers  gaze,  grim-browed,  sad-eyed, 

Upon  the  ruin  stalking  wide ! 

The  monarch  trees  look  down  and  wail ; 

Low  gasps  of  death  are  o'er  the  vale! 

Thus  it  is  in  our  earthly  life  — 
Sunshine  and  shadow,  peace  and  strife. 
What  does  it  mean?     What  is  it  for? 
Ah !  none  knows  now  !     None  knew  of  yore ! 


THE  POET  AND  THE  WORLD 

* 

DEAR  Lord,  how  I  do  love  to  lay  me  down 
A  little  brook  beside  to  hear  it  sing !  — 
To  hear  it  sing  in  its  small,  lisping  voice, 
So  like  a  child's,  so  tender  and  so  sweet. 

Then  is  the  world's  harsh  clarion  forgot 
That  wakes  me  evermore  from  pleasant  dreams; 
Then  drops  from  off  my  mind  the  load  of  care 
Which  hath  oppressed  me  long,  and  that  dull  pain, 
The  dreary  ghost  that  haunts  it,  for  a  space 
Doth  laggingly  depart,  and  I  have  peace. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS  19 


MEMORIES 

(Inscribed  to  Lady  Betty  L .) 

THERE  are  memories  sweet  and  sour, 
Born  of  the  bright  or  gloomy  hour; 
They  hang  like  pictures  round  the  heart, 
And,  loved  or  loathed,  will  not  depart. 

The  words  we  speak,  the  deeds  we  do, 

The  thoughts  that  thrill  us  through  and  through ; 

However  high  or  sunk  in  sin, 

All  lie  safe-lodged  and  sure  within. 

Then  wise  the  man  and  happy  he 
Who  hoards  not  thus  his  misery; 
Whose  heart  is  hung  with  pictures  bright, 
And  heaped  with  records  of  the  right. 

DOLOROSA 

"  I  DO  not  blame  him,"  she  said, 
"  He  was  poor,  we  could  not  wed  " ; 
Blanche  bowed  her  little  head 

And   sighed. 

She  was  young  and  fair  and  sweet  — 
Good  God !  and  now  her  feet 
Had  no  home  but  the  street 

To  bide. 

Poor  little  Blanche !  and  yet, 

While  her  blue  eyes  with  tears  were  wet, 

She  never  blamed  him  she  had  met, 

Who  had  lied. 


20     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


NEPENTHE 


I'LL  smoke  a  cigarette, 
And  forget. 

Why  should  I  see  that  face  forever  near?  — 
Why    should    I    hear    that    laugh    so    sweet    and 

clear  ?  — 
Why  should  those  tender  eyes  come  haunt  me  here, 

come  haunt  me  here?  — 
Well,  well,  alas  the  day ! 
They  have  come,  so  let  them  stay. 


II 


Did  I  not  tell  her  plain  we  could  not  wed  ?  — 
She  only  sighed :  "  I  love  you  so !  "  she  said ; 
And  then  she  faded  like  a  flower,  and  now,  and 

now  she's  dead. 
Well,  well,  I  love  her  still  — 
Could  I  guess  that  love  would  ki^l? 

Ill 

But  to  remember  makes  me  moan  with  pain, 

And  should  I  see  that  phantom  face  again, 

(By  heaven!)  I  fear  that  it  would  turn  my  brain, 

turn  my  brain : 

I  dread  to  meet  those  tender  eyes, 
So  full  of  tears  and  sad  surprise: 

I'll  smoke  a  cigarette, 

And  forget. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS  21 

HER  QUESTION  AND  HIS  ANSWER 
I 

HER    QUESTION 

SWEETHEART,  I  cannot  think,  I  cannot  think, 
Why  thou   dost  love  me,  sweetheart  —  not  an 
other  : 
I  cannot  think  why  thou  dost  love  me  more 

Than    that    maid,    or    than    that,    or    that,    or 

t'other  — 
For,  O !  it  cannot  be  I  am  more  fair, 

For  some  have  said  that  I  am  scarcely  comely : 
For,  O !  it  cannot  be  I  am  more  wise, 

Or  good  —  why  is  it,  sweetheart,  that  thou  lov'st 
me? 

II 

HIS   ANSWER. 

And  dost  thou  ask  me  why  I  love 
Thee,  sweetheart  —  not  another? 
Sweetheart,  I'll  tell  thee  why : 
Tis  not  that  thou  art  fair,  sweetheart, 
Though  thou  dost  fill  my  eye  — 
'Tis  not  alone  that  thou  art  fair, 
But  this  is  why  — 
But  this  is  why  that  thee  I  love, 
And  not  that  maid  or  t'other : 
Because  of  all  the  maids  I've  met, 
Because  of  all  the  maids  I've  met, 
Thou  art  most  like  —  my  mother ! 


22     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


ROOM  FOR  THE  INDIAN 

(Lines  written  after  hearing  the  story  of  the  wrongs  of 
the  Poncas,  as  told  by  Mr.  Tibbies,  Bright  Eyes  and 
Standing  Bear.) 


TEARS  are  well,  words  are  well  —  as  far  as  they 

go  — 
But  leave  tears   for  children,   put  hand   to  the 

wheel ; 
But     leave     words     for     hypocrites  —  counterfeit 

coin  — 
O,  deeds,  only  deeds  the  true  metal  reveal ! 

Room  for  the  Indian  —  room  !     Reach  him  a  hand ! 

Who  brand  him  unworthy  their  words  I  deny ; 
Say  what  you  will,  brothers,  but  here  is  a  man ; 

But  here  is  no  craven  who  much  fears  to  die. 

» 

He  stands  on  his  record.     Will  it  not  suffice? 
Is  it  black?     Well,  ours,  we  must  own,  is  black 

too. 

Say  what  you  will,  brothers,  but  here  is  a  man ; 
Go  ask  those  who  know,  they  will  tell  you  'tis 
true. 

If  he  will  his  bow  and  arrows  fling  down, 
Bury  the  tomahawk;  follow  the  plow; 

The  path  of  peace  tread.     O,  shall  we  not  then 
All  the  rights  we  claim  to  him  too  allow? 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     23 


II 

I  am  for  peace,  when  peace  with  honor  goes ; 

But  times  may  come  again  as  oft'  before, 
So  ill,  laden  so  big  with  wrongs  and  shames, 

The  one  sufficient  remedy  is  war. 


And  if  such  time  shall  come  again,  perchance  — 
(Methinks  it  well  might  be)  — there  will  arise 

A  man  from  out  these  red  tribes  of  the  West 
To  lead  our  armies  on  to  victory's  prize. 

Room  for  the  Indian  —  room  !  reach  him  a  hand  ! 

With  lust  of  gold,  at  least,  he's  not  possessed ; 
And  he  is  brave,  and  never  breaks  his  word; 

That  we  have  need  of  such  must  be  confessed. 


Ill 


Who  is  the  savage  —  who  civilized  —  say? 

Look  on  the  record  and  crimson  with  shame; 
Look  on  the  record  and  shrink  back  appalled ; 

Is  the  Indian  a  savage  ?  well,  we  are  the  same. 

Food  for  the  starving  and  care  for  the  sick ; 

Justice  and  mercy  to  all  that  draw  breath ! 
We  have  stricken  the  bonds  from  the  slave,  shall 
we  still 

Hunt  down  the  poor  Indian,  and  do  him  to  death? 


24  EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


LITTLE  JEANNETTE 

DEAR   little   Jeannette!     Sweet  little  Jeannette! 
Most  witching  of  maidens  that  man  ever  met, 
Thou  art  fair  to  my  sight  as  an  angel  of  light, 
And  whatever  thou  doest  to  me  seemeth  right. 

There  is  a  fond  memory  shrined  in  my  heart, 

It  is  of  the  night  I  first  felt  Cupid's  dart ; 

We  stood  'neath  the  moon-beams  —  I  looked  down 

at  thee, 
And  softly  thy  blue  eyes  glanced  upward  to  me. 

God  of  my  fathers !  O  how  much  of  bliss, 
One  swift-fleeting  moment  may  hold  in  a  kiss ! 
I  snatched  thy  white  hand  —  my  lips  flew  to  thine, 
And  soul  spoke  to  soul  in  a  language  divine. 

Long,  long  will  that  memory  lighten  my  life, 
Long,  long  will  it  lend  me  good  strength  in  the 

strife; 

But  that  night  is  gone  —  ah,  sad  truth  to  learn, — 
It  is  gone  —  it  is  gone,  nevermore  to  return ! 


NEW  YEAR'S  EVE 

I 

THE  horns  ring  out  the  "  Blue  Danube" ; 

'Neath  the  glittering  chandelier 
We  glide  in  the  waltz  through  the  ballroom, 

A  charm  upon  eye  and  ear. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     25 

Bright  are  the  faces  around  us; 

Sweet  maidens  smile  in  glee; 
And  ripples  blithely  on  the  air, 

Light  laugh,  quick  repartee. 

Ye  memories  of  the  waning  year  — 

Away!  the  hour  is  nigh 
That  ushers  in  new  days,  new  hopes  — 

Away !     Old  year,  good-bye  ! 

II 

Let  us  throw  off  the  garment  of  sadness, 
Leave  behind  us  the  sorrow  and  sin ; 

Let  our  hearts  rise  and  sing  hallelujahs 
For  all  that  shall  be  and  has  been. 

We  stand  face  to  face  —  man  and  maiden, 
Clasp  hands  with  a  hearty  good  cheer, 

And  with  joy  brimming  o'er  from  the  soul  to  the 

lips, 
We  welcome  the  baby  new  year. 

Ha,  ha !  my  lads  and  my  lassies  — 

On  with  the  dance !  though  a  tear 
Dim  the  eye  for  the  loved  and  the  lost  ones, 

Sleeping  low  on  this  happy  new  year. 


A  SONG  OF  SUMMER 

COME  to  the  wildwoods  wild, 

Thou  city-biding  child  — 

O  come  to  the  meadows  mild. 


26     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Come  where  the  world  is  still, 
Where  the  eagle  swoops  at  will 
O'er  green  embosomed  hill. 

Where  the  great  oak  rears  its  head 
From  cool  and  mossy  bed, 
And  the  earth  and  sky  do  wed. 

Where  the  bright  sun  brightly  beams, 
And  men  live  on  in  dreams, 
And  maidens  sing  to  streams. 

Where  the  jaunty  blue-bells  nod, 
And  wand-like  waves  the  golden-rod, 
And  the  blue-eyed  violet  gems  the  sod. 

Come,  ye  weary-hearted,  come, 

And  listen  to  the  busy  hum 

Of  bees,  and  hear  the  pheasants  drum. 

Come,  ere  mind  and  body  molder, — 
Swing  the  rifle  to  the  shoulder, 
Tramp  the  lowlands,  climb  the  boulder. 

Come  and  be  free  as  free  can  be ; 

And  never  mother  fondled  thee 

More  fond  than  will  the  greenwood  tree. 


BE  TRUE  TO  THY  LIGHT! 

PUZZLED  soul,  wouldst  thou  know  what  is  right, 
And  for  God-given  principles  fight? 
Then  be  true,  O  be  true  to  thy  light ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     27 

Whatever  the  whole  world  may  say, 

If  thine  eyes  see  'tis  wrong,  tell  them  nay, 

Speak  the  word  and  point  out  the  true  way! 

O  let  not  the  pomp  and  the  din 

Of  the  world,  nor  the  soft  smiles  of  sin, 

Blind  thine  eyes  to  the  pure  light  within ! 

Do  thou  what  it  bids  thee  to  do ! 

Be  a  man,  live  a  faithful  life  through ! 

O  rise  up  in  thy  strength  and  be  true. 


THE  SPARROW 

A  BRIGHT  oasis  in  the  desert  of  brick  walls, 
Across  the  crowded  city  street  a  sparrow  calls 
"  Tu-wit !     Tu-wit !     Tu-wee ! 
Come  to  the  woods  with  me !  " 

"  But,  little  bird,"  I  answer  back, 

"  Sweet  little  bird,  I  cannot  come  — 
For  I  must  work,  alas,  alack !  " 

Then  clear  above  the  busy  hum 

That  sounds  forever  from  the  street, 
He  calls  again  in  accents  sweet: 

"  Tu-wit !     Tu-wit !     Tu-wee ! 
Come  to  the  woods  with  me !  " 

"  O,  careless  sparrow,  listless  led ; 

O,  bird  without  a  care  — 
How  can  I  come,  for  meat  and  bread 
I  cannot  gather  there  ?  " 


28     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

But  still  he  calls  across  the  street, 
In  accents  clear  and  passing  sweet : 

"  Tu-wit !     Tu-wit !     Tu-wee ! 
Come  to  the  woods  with  me !  " 


ONE  OF  LIFE'S  MYSTERIES 

EXPLAIN  the  panther  and  expound  the  cat  — 
Whence  are  they  and  what  for,  O,  tell  me  that? 
He  who  the  horse  created  and  the  lamb, 
Hath  He  created  these?     Is  life  a  psalm 

Wherein  both  good  and  bad  have  proper  place  — 
Both  harmony  and  discord?     Can  we  trace 
God's  will  and  finger  to  all  things  that  be  — 
To  rich  and  poor,  to  joy  and  misery  — 

To  Attila  as  well  as  Washington? 
Or  is  there,  as  some  think,  an  evil  One, 
The  opposite  of  God  —  who  worketh  aye 
'Gainst  God  and  man  in  many  a  subtle  way? 


CORA'S  LAMENT 

I 

THE  soft  summer  morning  is  sunlit,  and  cheery 
With  breezes  blown  fresh  from  the  land  of  the 

West; 

The  birds  in  the  green-mantled  tree  tops  are  sing 
ing 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     29 

Sweet  songs,  as  they  busily  build  the  home  nest. 
All  nature  is  glad, 
But  my  poor  heart  is  sad ; 
For  what  are  these  summery  symbols  to  me, 
When  Jamie,  my  Jamie,  is  over  the  sea. 


II 

O  will  he  come  back  to  me  —  Jamie,  my  Jamie ! 

O  will  he  come  back  as  the  Jamie  of  old  — 
Come  back  to  whisper  above  me,  "  I  love  thee," 

And  come  with  a  heart  that  has  never  grown 

cold? 

On  the  breeze  passing  by, 
Seeming  floats  a  reply : 
"  He  will,  little  Cora,  he  will,  he  is  true ! 
Homeward  bound  is  the  bark  that  will  bear  him  to 
you." 


GHERETIEN 

O,  LIST  thee  now,  my  merry  queen, 
The  fair,  the  lovable  Gheretien, 

O,  hearken  to  my  lay ! 
And  to  thy  home  among  the  hills 
Where  purling  brook  the  pure  air  fills 
With  music  and  from  tree  to  tree 
The  songs  of  birds  make  melody  — 
Thither  will  the  breezes  hie, 
Thither  will  sweet  echoes  fly 

Of  love-tones  far  away. 


30     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

"  O,  ever  kindly  has  the  sun 
Looked  down  on  thee,  my  pretty  one  — 

Looked  down  and  smiled  on  thee; 
And  prodigal  has  been  the  flow 
Of  blessings  he  has  wrought,  I  trow :  — 
Soft  and  warm  with  many  a  light 
Of  heavenly  fires  thine  eyes  burn  bright, 
And  over  cheek  and  brow  of  snow 
The  hues  of  summer  sunsets  glow  — 

Rare  hues  that  flush  and  flee." 

LINES  WRITTEN  IN  AN  ALBUM 

LIKE  ships  that  meet  and  part  upon  the  sea, 

We  mortals  drift  together,  drift  apart: 
Tis  not  for  us  to  guess  why  such  things  be  — 
'Tis  ours  to  bear  the  seeming  stern  decree 

As  best  we  may  when  heart  is  torn  from  heart. 

At  least  this  may  we  do :    When  on  life's  sea 

We  for  a  little  while  together  sail, 
A  friendly,  faithful  company  let's  be  — 
Remembering  that  any  moment  we    ' 

May  drift  apart,  far  out  of  sight  and  hail. 

MOLLIE 

I  STAND  beside  the  mossy  oak 

Upon  the  grassy  hill, 
And  'mong  the  branches  o'er  my  head 

Sings  wild  the  whippoorwill, 

His  song  is  mournful-shrill, 
Mollie ! 

His  song  is  mournful-shrill. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     31 

The  sky  with  clouds  is  overcast, 

The  night  is  closing  round ; 
The  surly  east  wind  rushing  past 

Snarls  like  a  hungry  hound; 

And  sad  my  sighs  resound, 

Mollie ! 

And  sad  my  sighs  resound. 

Not  so  it  was  one  twilight  dim 

When  we  by  chance  did  meet 
Beside  this  tall  and  ancient  tree. 

The  south  wind  us  did  greet ; 

The  whippoorwill  sang  sweet, 
Mollie  I 

The  whippoorwill  sang  sweet. 


The  sun  was  setting  on  the  right, 
And  red  and  round  was  he ; 

The  moon  was  rising  on  the  left  — 
A  crescent  moon  was  she, 
When  you  stood  here  with  me, 

Mollie ! 
When  you  stood  here  with  me. 


'Twas  here  we  told  our  loves ;  'twas  here, 

Clasped  in  a  fond  embrace, 
We  kissed  and  cried  with  happy  tears, 

That  sanctified  the  place. 

No  more  I'll  see  your  face, 

Mollie ! 

No  more  I'll  see  your  face. 


32     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Farewell,  fair  maid!  fair  maid,  farewell! 

Farewell,  fair  maid,  forever! 
Fate  frowns  on  us  and  we  must  part  — 

To  meet  again,  O,  never! 

Never  again,  O,  never, 

Mollie ! 

Never  again,  O,  never! 


BE  CAREFUL  WHAT  YOU  SAY 

(Lines  Written  in  an  Album.) 

BE  careful  what  you  say,  my  child, 

Words  have  a  kind  of  life, — 
Some  think  that  they  are  living  things, — 
At  least  'tis  sure  that  they  have  wings 
And  teeth  sharp  as  a  knife. 


And  teeth  sharp  as  a  knife,  son;e  words, 

With  power  to  wound  and  slay; 
But  some  have  power  to  heal  and  bless, 
And  with  their  gentle,  soft  caress 
Turn  winter  into  May. 


Be  careful  what  you  say,  my  child ; 

But  'tis  a  matter  slight 
Compared  to  this  I'd  now  impress 
Upon  your  mind  with  strongest  stress 

Be  careful  what  you  WRITE! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     33 

"  CHRIST  COMES  TO  ALL  WHO  OPE  THE 
DOOR  " 

"I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless,  I  will  come  to  you!' 
Inscribed  to  Rev.  Mr.  Detwiler,  Evangelist. 

AH,  see !  and  there  it  is  again ! 

I  did  not  err  or  make  mistake. 
The  beauteous  vision  of  the  Christ 

Appeared  above  him  as  he  spake. 

The  plain  church,  unadorned  and  bare, 

With  no  ecclesiastic  show, 
In  gorgeous  beauty  radiant  gleams, 

With  mystic  grandeur  all  aglow. 

The  beauty  of  the  earth  and  sky, 
The  glory  of  the  moon  and  sun, — 

Sunrise,  sunset,  rainbow, —  all 

In  that  bright  vision's  web  are  spun. 

No  gilded  cross  upon  the  wall, 

Behind  the  preacher  gleams  and  shines, 

But  in  a  vision  o'er  his  head 
The  Savior  on  the  cross  reclines. 

It  is  the  Christ, —  the  very  Christ, — 
And  very  voice  of  God  that  speaks 

From  out  the  preacher's  lips  inspired, 
And  sinners'  souls  to  save  it  seeks. 

A  miracle?  —  As  Shakespeare  writ: 

More  things  in  heaven  and  earth  there  be 

Than  are  in  our  philosophy 
Dreamt  of, —  wrapped  in  deep  mystery. 


34     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Ours  is  a  wonder-working  God, 
A  miracle-working  Christ  is  ours, 

And  what  men  call  a  miracle 

May  be  but  law,  to  Heavenly  powers. 

"  Sweet  Christ,"  I  murmured,  "  Savior  mine, 

May  never  come  Millennium  day, 
But  surely  thou  art  here  to-night 
To  comfort  us  as  thou  didst  say." 

Ah,  God,  this  truth  I  plainly  see: 

Christ  comes  to  all  who  ope  the  door, — 

To  Jew  and  Gentile,  and  all  men 
And  sects  alike, —  forevermore. 


EQUALITY  OF  ALL  MEN  BEFORE  GOD 

HE  knows  me  not,  that  sleek,  rich  man, 
Puffed  up  with  wind  of  worldly  pride; 

The  rich  and  great  he  only  knows  — 
All  else  must  bend  or  stand  aside. 

Himself  a  tool  from  first  to  last  — 
Knave  and  sycophant,  wondrous  sly; 

He  thinks  all  men  should  be  the  same, 
With  sinuous  course  from  low  to  high. 

Without  a  thought  of  self  or  pelf? 

Sadly  the  answer  comes,  "  Not  one." 
'S  death !  is  there  not  one  he  loves, 

For  love's  or  friendship's  sake  alone  — 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     35 

Himself  a  tool,  all  men  are  tools 

To  him,  to  use  and  cast  aside ; 
And  love  and  friendship  are  but  names  — 

Self  or  pelf  his  only  guide. 

He  knows  me  not,  but  what  of  that? 

Before  the  God  who  dwells  on  high 
All  men  have  equal  claims  and  rights, 

From  birth  until  they  die. 

God's  laws  aye  operate  the  same 

On  those  of  high  and  low  estate; 
He  knows  me  not,  that  sleek,  rich  man, 

Because  I'm  neither  rich  nor  great. 

But  God,  the  angels  and  God's  laws, 
They  know  me,  they  distinguish  not 

'Tween  rich  and  poor  or  high  and  low  — 
Saint,  sage  or  Hottentot. 

"  I  know  and  love  all,"  saith  the  Lord, 

"  That  love  Me  and  that  do  My  will ; 
To  them  My  laws  shall  aye  be  kind, 
My  angels  guard  them  still." 


HETTY 

THERE  is  a  picture  in,  my  mind, 
By  the  spirit's  wondrous  pencil  lined  — 
Of  a  beautiful  face  where  flit  and  flee 
Bright  smiles,  like  sunshine  on  the  sea, 
And  blue  eyes  waste  their  witchery; 
She  is  so  sweet,  she  is  so  fair, 
Gay  Hetty  with  the  golden  hair! 


36     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

O,  beauty  thou  art  priceless!  gold, 
Though  heaped  up  high  in  wealth  untold 
Cannot  buy  thee,  queens  have  prayed 
To  win  thee,  but  the  scepter  swayed 
In  vain  to  lure  thy  lovely  shade ; 
Ah,  rich  indeed  is  thy  estate, 
Sweet  maiden,  favored  thus  by  fate. 

So  prize  it  and  be  proud,  nor  sell 
What  God  has  given,  but  guard  it  well  — 
For  men  will  come  and  woo  to  thee, 
Proud  men  will  come  and  sue  to  thee, 
And  bear  the  purse  and  bend  the  knee; 
But  yield  to  love;  'tis  his  domain, 
Aught  else  is  want  and  woe  and  pain. 


DULCE   DOMUM 

MY  little  sister,  loved  of  yore, 
And  now  grown  older,  loved  the  more, 
It  may  be  that  my  steps  shalf  roam 
Far  from  the  restful  hearth  of  home;  — 

It  may  be,  and  it  doubtless  will, 
If  comes  not  death  or  other  ill, 
That  thou  shalt  leave  the  mother-nest 
At  some  true  lover's  high  behest:  — 

Thou  may'st  be  poor,  and  I  be  rich, 
Or  otherwise,  it  boots  not  which, 
Whate'er  the  wealth,  whate'er  the  name, 
The  heart  methinks  is  much  the  same: 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     37 

O  sister  dear,  though  dark  the  night 
Though  wild  the  woe  of  blast  and  blight 
May  lower  in  the  lapse  of  years, 
Filling  my  life  with  gloom  and  tears, 

Still  the  thought  of  home  shall  be 
My  sad  soul's  sweetest  minstrelsy, 
Still  thy  smile  shall  cheer  me  on 
Till  hope  be  dead  and  life  be  gone. 


HOPE  AND  LOVE 

THE  wind  was  cold,  the  snow  fell  fast  — 

But  what  was  that  to  me? 
A  fiend  was  shrieking  in  the  blast  — 

But  what  was  that  to  me? 

But  what  was  that  to  me? 
For  in  my  heart  sweet  hope  beat  high, 
And  warmed  me  with  her  beaming  eye; 
And  in  my  heart  was  love  divine, 
That  throbbed  through  all  my  veins  like  wine. 

The  sky  was  blue,  the  breeze  was  soft  — 

But  what  was  that  to  me? 
The  birds  were  singing  up  aloft  — 

But  what  was  that  to  me? 

But  what  was  that  to  me? 
For  in  my  heart  sweet  hope  lay  dead, 
Her  beaming  eye  sunk  in  her  head ; 
And  love  divine  no  longer  there, 
I  felt  no  comfort  anywhere. 


38     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Then  quick  I  cried,  "  Full  plain  I  see 
Tis  not  because  of  flower  or  tree  — 
Blue  sky  or  song-bird's  minstrelsy  — 

That  makes  the  world  so  fair! 
'Tis  not  the  sun  on  land  or  sea  — 

That  makes  the  world  so  fair! 
'Tis  a  hopeful,  loving  heart  in  me, 
A  hopeful,  loving  heart  in  me 

That  makes  the  world  so  fair." 


A  LAW  STUDENT'S  REVERY 

THE  classic  Blackstone  love  I  well  — 
Happy's  the  hour  I  with  him  tarry ; 

And  love  as  well  as  words  can  tell 
The  sage  Bouvier's  Law  Dictionary. 


But  must  I  therefore  quite  forget 

That  maiden  fair  whose  soft,  shy  glances 

Soothe  my  soul  of  all  its  fret, 
And  make  life  worth  its  fearful  chances? 


Now,  suing  that  seraphic  shape, 
Are  rivals  brave  as  I  and  fonder: 

Most  precious  of  all !  shalt  thou  escape 
While  I  o'er  Blackstone  pore  and  ponder? 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS  39 


ITALY 

O,  FLOWERY  land!     O,  lakes  that  shine 

Like  silver  in  the  sun  — 
O,  land  of  honey,  fruit  and  wine, 
Where  lives  in  dreams  do  run  — 
Sweet  Italy, 
I  love  thee! 


Lake  Como  lies  in  dimpled  smiles, 

And  sparkles  like  a  gem ; 
And  like  a  maiden's  witching  wiles, 
She  lures  my  heart  to  them ; 
Sweet  Italy, 
I  love  thee! 


The  spicy  breezes  kiss  my  brow ; 

O,  this  were  heaven,  Jeannette, 
To  gaze  forever  on  as  now, 
If  thou  wert  here,  my  pet  — 
Sweet  Italy, 
I  love  thee ! 


Ah,  why  these  tears  that  fill  my  eyes, 

This  hunger  at  my  heart? 
This  is  no  time  or  place  for  sighs, 
And  lovers  oft'  do  part; 
And  Italy, 
I  love  thee! 


40     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Then  peace,  my  soul !  why  wilt  thou  speak, 

And  call  for  what  may  never  be? 
O,  rest  thee,  soul  so  wild  and  weak, 
Nor  dream  again  Jeannette  to  see. 
Sweet  Italy, 
I  love  thee! 


MY  DARLING 

As  day  by  day  I  live  along  — 
Go  through  the  world  and  worldly  throng  — 
The  thought  that  bears  me  up  from  wrong, 
Is  thought  of  thee,  my  darling. 


Whose  is  that  face  I  seem  to  see 
Before  me,  wheresoe'er  I  be  — 
With  loving  eyes  that  lift  to  me? 
That  face  is  thine,  my  darling. 


Oh !  memories  of  the  olden  times  — 
Sweet  are  your  scenes,  and  sweet  the  rhymes 
Ye  weave ;  like  tinkling,  tolling  chimes 
Of  far-off  bells,  my  darling. 


Dear  is  the  memory  of  what  has  been 
Of  thee  —  O  thou  of  angel-kin, 
And  toiling  from  the  vales  of  sin, 
I  look  to  thee,  my  darling. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     41 


SPRING  LOVE  SONG 

Do  I  love  her?  well,  this  I  know, 
That  where  her  steps  lead  I  would  go ; 
Be  it  down  in  the  vale  by  the  flow 
Of  bright,  merry  streams  singing  low, 

Or  up  on  the  hill-tops,  divine, 
With  the  fresh  sweeping  breeze  and  the  shine 
Of  the  sun.     O  dear  love,  what  is  mine 
In  this  world,  I  would  could  be  thine ! 

Anywhere,  gentle  heart !  so  near  thee. 
In  thy  presence  all  evil  must  flee. 
One  glance  of  thine  eye  is  to  me 
Worth  more  than  the  gems  of  the  sea, 

Or  the  gems  hidden  deep  in  the  earth. 
O  what  is  all  wealth  to  the  birth 
Of  high  thoughts,  holy  fires,  and  the  worth 
Of  a  soul  ?     Where  before  there  was  dearth 

In  my  heart,  now  the  flowers  of  joy 
Spring  to  bloom  with  no  sinful  alloy ; 
And  my  dreams  are  the  dreams  of  a  boy  — 
Perfect  peace  that  no  fears  can  destroy. 


JEAN 

FOOL  that  I  am,  I  have  never  forgotten  her, 
She  is  the  light  of  my  life  to  this  day; 

Hers  is  the  face  that  forever  hath  haunted  me, 
Cheering  my  heart  on  my  wearisome  way. 


42     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Once  in  the  bright,  early  morning  of  manhood, 
I  met  her  whom  now  well  I  know  was  my  fate ; 

Little  thought  I  then  of  courtship  and  marriage  — 
Little  thought  I  then  —  and  now  'tis  too  late. 

Much  I  have  pondered  on  poems  and  philosophies, 
Gorged  my  poor  head  with  what  great  men  have 

writ: 
Thinking  at  some  future  time  to  enrapture 

The  world  and  this  sweetheart  of  mine  with  my 
wit. 

Alas !  now  what  care  I  for  honor  and  glory, 
Nonentity  frenzies  my  spirit  no  more ; 

Come,  death !  with  thy  horrid  and  grim  desolation, 
I  dread  now  no  longer  thy  shape  as  of  yore. 

Jean !  O,  my  sweetheart !  'twas  she  that  I  toiled  for, 
'Twas  her  sweet  applause  that  I  strove  to  obtain ; 

Haste  on,  empty  years !  hollow  hearts,  I  abjure  ye ! 
I  hate  the  proud  world  which  liath  wrought  all 
my  pain. 


THE  BLUES 

MY  head  it  is  calm  and  cool, 

And   worldly   wise; 

But  the  tears  will  fill  my  eyes  — 

And  my  heart  is  hot  and  aching, 

Nigh  to  breaking. 
O,  at  heart  I  am  a  fool! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     43 

Am  I  a  fool?  or  is  my  heart  the  wiser? 
Perhaps  I  do  foul  wrong  to  underprize  her. 

Alas,  my  heart! 

Why  must  we  part? 
In  all  the  world  hast  thou  no  sympathizer? 

Soul  of  mine!     "Tis  thine  to  choose 
Which  can  I  best  afford  to  lose  — 

My  heart  or  my  head? 

*     *     * 

Pshaw!     I'll  to  bed  — 
Tis  late  — I  have  the  "blues." 

BIRDIE 
(LINES  TO  A  LITTLE  GIRL) 

YOUR  merry  laugh  is  in  my  ears, 

Birdie. 
Life's  gay  when  one  is  aged  ten  years, 

Birdie. 

But  I  —  well,  though  I  weep  no  tears, 
No  voice  of  hope  my  spirit  hears, 
Long  past  are  all  my  happy  years, 

Birdie,  pretty  Birdie! 

But  'tis  not  age  that  warps  and  sours, 

Birdie. 
For  though  we  wither  as  the  flowers, 

Birdie. 

Still  may  the  soul  assert  her  powers, 
And  life  be  full  of  happy  hours  — 
Ah!   'tis  not  age  that  warps  and  sours 

Birdie,  pretty  Birdie! 


44     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Then  keep  your  merry  laugh  alway, 

Birdie. 
To  hearts  at  ease  life's  ever  gay, 

Birdie. 

My  mother  is  a  child  to-day, 
Although  her  hair  is  streaked  with  gray; 
Then  keep  your  merry  laugh  alway, 

Birdie,  pre,tty  Birdie! 

VIRTUE  AND  VICE 

WHENCE  came   those   fearful  shapes   that  stalk 

The  woeful  night  of  sin! 
Dear  friends,  from  such  as  I  and  you, 
They  issued   forth;  some  fell  blast  blew, 

And  Satan  entered  in. 

Condition,    circumstance  —  almost 

They  make  us  what  we  are: 
Saint  or  hero  seldom  comes 
From  birth  and  breeding  in  the  slums, 
And  back  of  prison  bar.  ^ 

To-day  are  mortals  no  whit  worse, 

In  God's  all-seeing  eye, 
Than  many  a  Christian  —  so  by  chance; 
For  like  condition,  circumstance, 

Will  oft  like  fruit  supply. 

Without  the  holy  light  of  love  — 

Which  is  of  life  the  sun  — 
How  blindly,  wearily  we  grope, 
And  stumble  down  life's  dreary  slope, 

Glad  when  the  farce  is  done. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     45 

Who  is  there  walks  as  straight  a  path 

At  night  as  in  the  day? 
Methinks  that  God,  who  knoweth  all, 
Forgiveth  many  a  slip  and  fall 

Of  poor  souls  gone  astray. 

We  all  do  need  God's  help,  I  wot, 

To  nobly  play  our  part ; 
Behooves  us  all  right  well  to  pray: 
"  Teach  us  Thy  will :  show  us  Thy  way, 

And  make  us  pure  of  heart !  " 

THE  MAN  WHO  KNOWS  IT  ALL 

BEHOLD  the  man  who  "  knows  it  all "  —  observe 

his  pompous  stride; 

A  man  he  is  of  little  mind,  but  so  self-satisfied! 
This    man   believes    in   his    tin-cup   he   holds   the 

mighty  sea, 

And  in  his  shovelful  of  earth  the  world's  immensity. 
Whatever  thing  has  been,  whatever  shall  befall 
He  thinks  he  knows  it  all. 

Some  wayward  lines  if  he  espy  on  fellow-soldier's 

shield, 
Straightway    this    would-be    sage    concludes    that 

foul  is  all  the  field. 
He  fails  to  see,  with  his  bat-eyes,  dull  brain  and 

shallow  heart, 
How    brightly    that    escutcheon    shines    in    many 

another  part ! 
Outshining  his,  perchance,  in  spite  of  scratch  and 

scrawl, 
Though  he  thinks  "  he  knows  it  all." 


46     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


LALLY 

"  Does  not,  in  these  very  days,  the  blood  of  murdered 
Lally  cry  aloud  for  vengeance? 

"  The  wild  fire-soul  that  has  known  only  peril  and  toil, 
and  for  threescore  years  has  buffeted  against  Fate's  ob 
struction  and  men's  perfidy,  like  genius  and  courage  amid 
poltroonery,  dishonesty  and  commonplace ;  faithfully  en 
during  and  endeavoring — O  Parliament  of  Paris,  dost 
thou  reward  it  with  a  gibbet  and  a  gag?" 

—  Carlyle's  "French  Revolution." 

SHALL  commonplace  and  villainy  for  aye 
So  strut  and  stride  and  damnify  the  day? 
The  great  and  good  who  died  have  died  in  vain, 
If  great  and  good  that  live  derive  no  gain. 


Lally  in  the  Bastile!     How  came  he  there? 
For  threescore  years  his  life  was  brave  and  fair ; 
For  France  he  lived  and  fame  —  and  noble  deeds 
Filled   up   his   long   life's    span  —  a   flower   'mong 
weeds. 

/ 

O  France !  for  villainy  thou  hadst  fine  pay, 
And  guerdon  proud  for  many  a  popinjay. 
For  one  who  glorified  his  country's  flag, 
Thou  hadst  the  Bastile,  gibbet  and  the  gag! 


What  mockery  the  world's  rewards !    Unfold 
Thy   tragic   fate,   great   Socrates!     Behold 
Galileo  in  prison  —  Joan  of  Arc 
Enwrapped  in  flame.     Fame?  (God  save  the  mark !) 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     47 

0  shallow  hearts  and  cold  and  souls  of  lead  — 
Think  ye  the  homage  done  unto  the  dead 
Squares   the  account?     They   hear   not   what   you 

say  — 
And  monuments  revive  not  their  poor  clay! 

Unconquered  went  he  hence,  the  living  eye  — 
From  which  the  soul  looks  forth  that  cannot  die  — 
E'en  from  the  scaffold  flashed  defiance  down, 
And  on  his  brow  sat  valor  like  a  crown. 

Thou  regal  soul !  unfortunate  Lally ! 

1  think  of  one  who  much  resembles  thee  — 
Who  treads  the  stage  of  life  this  very  hour, 
A  king — but  king  bereft  of  kingly  power. 

This,  then,  the  sad  story  —  only  not  all 
Of  earth's  best  and  greatest  are  swept  to  the  wall. 
And  great  and  good  who  died,  was't  not  in  vain, 
If  great  and  good  that  live  derive  no  gain? 

EQUALITY 

SINNER  and  saint  are  all  one  flesh  — 

One  flesh  wise  man  and  fool ; 
Lives  there  a  sage  can  draw  the  line 
'Twixt  low  and  high  and  coarse  and  fine, 

By  human  nature's  rule? 

Beneath  fine  clothes,  and  rags  beneath, 

The  selfsame  flesh  appears ; 
And  every  face,  though  fair  and  full, 
Is  modeled  on  the  selfsame  skull  — 

And  laughter,  love  and  tears, 


48     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

And  birth  and  death  proclaim  the  bond 

That  binds  all  in  its  mesh ; 
'Twixt  sinner  and  saint,  wise  man  and  fool, 
A  mighty  gulf,  but  't  breaks  not  the  rule, 

And  man  is  still  one  flesh. 


PURITAN  AND  QUAKER 

PURITAN. 

Take  thou  the  Book  —  live  thou  by  that, 

Be  torn  by  doubts  no  longer; 
When   thou   art  weak  'twill  make  thee   strong 

When  strong  'twill  make  thee  stronger. 

A  guide  that  never  errs,  this  Book;  — 
'Twill  keep  thy  feet  from  stumbling; 
Save  thee  from  error  and  from  sin ; 

From  pride  that  leads  to  humbling. 

» 

QUAKER. 

Sacred  the  Book !  —  it  I  revere, 

And  love  to  turn  its  pages, 
And)  pore  its  holy  precepts  o'er  — 

Its  lives  of  saints  and  sages. 

But  by  the  Inner  Light  I  live  — 
The  "  still,  small  voice  "  doth  win  me ; 

I  think  that  light  is  heaven's  light, 
That  voice  God's  Word  within  me. 


MISCELLANEOUS  POEMS 


THE  OLD,  OLD  STORY 

"  IF  there  be  any  glory  —  to  God  the  glory ! 

If  there  be  any  shame  —  to  us  the  shame ! 
It  still  holds  true  —  the  old,  old  story, — 
To-day  and  yesterday  the  same ! 

The  golden  word  though  we  may  speak, 
Or  shining  deed  of  glory  do, — 

Our  part  is  still  with  Moses  meek, 
This  truth  full  well  who  knew. 


Puffed  up  with  pride  shall  men  dare  be 
When  all  that's  good  from  God  is  gift 

In  earth  or  air  or  sky  or  sea  — 
When  to  the  bottom  all  we  sift? 

Though  to  the  hero,  saint,  we  grow, 
Worms  of  the  dust  still  were  we  all 

But  for  the  Grace  of  God,  and  so 
To  God  the  glory,  whate'er  befall ! 


A  VALENTINE 

"  MEN  are  a  puny  breed,"  I  thought, 
My  mind  upon  the  low  and  base, — 
Forgetting  all  the  noble  souls 
Among  the  human  race. 
51 


52     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

"  And  even  Christ  not  perfect  was !  " 

I  sadly  mused,  and  deemed  it  true : 

*     *     *   * 

Then,  lo,  I  turned,  and  saw  thy  face  — 
And  not  a  doubt  I  knew 


That  thou  wert  perfect !     And  if  thou 
Art  absolutely  perfect,  then, 

Shall  I  have  doubts  that  Christ  was  so, 
Who  gave  his  life  for  men? 


HIS  OWN  ARE  SAFE 

THOUGH  we  escape  the  dire  assassin's  dirk 
That  comes  to  kings,  and  plot  of  infamy, — 

Beneath  our  feet  a  thousand  pitfalls  lurk  — 
Perils  encompass  us  by  land  and  sea. 


O  glorious  constellations  of  the  sky, 

With  what  beautiful  precision  are  ye  placed! 

The  God  who  fixed  ye  knows  Wherefore  and 

Why, 
And  floor  on  which  earth's  mysteries  are  based. 


And  He  will  safely  keep  who  are  His  own  — 
His  own  are  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand. 

Dwell  where  they  may,  in  whatsoever  zone, 
Draw  breath  of  life  in  whatsoever  land. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     53 


CHARACTER 

WHAT  a  world,  what  a  world !  — 
Let's  sift  it  once  again, — 

Let's  sift  it  to  the  bottom 

And  see  what  will  remain :  — 

There's  nothing  sure  but  Character, 
All  else  is  shifting  sand, — 

While  phantom  follows  phantom, 
See  it  securely  stand. 

While  new  hallucinations 

Follow  fast  upon  the  old, 
Shines  ever  bright  grand  Character,- 

We  know  that  is  true  gold. 


THE  MAID  BELOVED 

"  Not   ten   yoke   of  oxen 
Have  the  power  to  draw  us 
Like  a  woman's  hair." 

— Longfellow. 


JTis  she  beatifies  the  world  with  her  strange  mys 
tic  spells, 

She  glorifies  that  house  wherein,  howe'er  so  plain, 
she  dwells ; 

How  sweet,  how  sweet  the  world  doth  seem, 
illumined  by  her  smile, 

That  did  with  pain  and  sorrow  teem,  and  gloom  and 
tears  erstwhile ! 


54     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

II 

Her  voice  doth  sweeter  music  make  in  merest  simple 

speech 
Than  great  composers  in  their  pride  can  ever  hope 

to  reach; 

Her  sunny  hair's  a  diadem  upon  her  marble  brow 
More   glorious   than  any  crown   that  thrones  can 

queens  endow. 

Ill 

For  her  a  man  of  earthy  mold  will  rise  to  heights 

sublime, 
And  striding  heroic  through  the  world  redeem  his 

day  and  time. 
Ah,  blest,  thrice  blest,  that  man  indeed  who  in  this 

world  of  care 
Can   love  and    be   beloved    again   by   some   sweet 

maiden  fair ! 


THE  MODERN  "  LOOKING-OHAMBER  " 

IN  China  old  and  hoary,  Corea  and  Japan, 

Each  house  a  "  looking-chamber  "  has,  some  noble 

view  to  scan. 
But  modern  man  may  sit  him  down,  his  newspaper 

in  hand, 
And  take  a  look  at  all  the  world  with  all  its  sea  and 

land. 
The  modern  "  looking-chamber  "  is  the  journal  of 

the  day  — 
'Tis  a  house  of  many  windows  that  the  whole  wide 

World  survey. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     55 


SUNSHINE 

I  SEE  a  light,  a  light,  a  light! 

Through  somber  clouds  it  shineth  clear; 
(!'  faith  it  is  a  beauteous  sight 

To  see  the  sun  when  days  are  drear.) 

But  this  is  neither  sun  nor  moon 
Nor  star,  but  fairer  still  than  they; 

It  is  a  lady  in  her  noon 
Of  beauty,  brighter  than  the  day. 

She  comes  !     I  know  not  where  to  hide :  — 
But  ha !  she  smiles,  she  beams  on  me !  — 

My  own !  if  thou  wilt  with  me  bide 
This  bitter  world  will  heaven  be! 


THE  VOICE  OF  A  CHILD 

SWEET  is  thy  song,  O  canary, 
So  frolicsome,  so  undefiled, — 

So  blithesome,  so  bright,  and  so  airy, 
Stern  is  he  who  is  not  beguiled ! 

But  far  sweeter  music  has  she  who 
The  cradle  rocks  with  her  fair  hand 

Than  ever  bird  that  on  the  wind  flew 
Did  utter  in  any  land! 

Ripples  brook  as  ripples  child's  laughter? 

Soft  as  child  can  a  dove  coo? 
Twitter  birds  in  a  barn  on  their  rafter 

Sweet  as  babes  in  their  trundle-bed  do? 


56     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Ah,  sweeter  than  song  of  canary, 
More  frolicsome,  more  undenled, — 

More  blithesome,  more  bright,  and  more  airy,- 
Is  the  voice  of  a  child ! 


LINES 

BEDIAMONDED,  dreamy  days, 
Glittering  with   the   sun's  bright  rays, 
Enwrapped  in  Indian-summer  haze 

Without  warning  soft  descend, 
Sweet  interludes  .that  spring  protend 
Or  may  of  winter  make  an  end. 


APRIL'S  CHILDREN 

WE  are  April's  children,  sweet, — 

The  violets  bloom  for  you  and  me; 
Month  when  shine  and  shadow  meet, 
Sunshine  and  storm  and  cold  and  heat, 
So  fair  and  fickle,  fond  and  free. 

One  minute  blue  the  sky  overhead, 

Without  a  cloud,  and  warm  and  bright 

The  blessed  sun, —  the  next  instead 

Clouds,  and  rain,  unruly  led 

By  boist'rous  winds  that  soon  take  flight. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     57 

Then  who  shall  blame  if  smiles  and  tears 

Laughter  and  crying  in  us  mix 
A  little  more  than  common, —  fears 
And  hopes,  softness  and  wrath?    Who  sneers 

At  us  may  also  April  fix, 

Who  taught  us  how,  and  make  the  year 
(If  they  can)  one  long  perfect  June, 
Or  January.     Tut,  my  dear, 
We're  April's  children,  have  no  fear, — 
God  made  the  month  and  we're  in  tune. 


IN  DREAMS,  AS  'TWERE,  LIFE  PASSES 
BY 

"And  Zoroaster,  at  whose  ancient  fount 
Pythagoras  drank,  who  saw  the  Dual  strife, 
The  mighty  conflict  twixt  the   True   and  False, 
Pervading  all  the  world." 

—  Front  Henry  Peterson's  "  Modern  Job." 

IN  dreams,  as  'twere,  life  passes  by, 

Phantoms  they  be  for  which  we  sigh, 

Hallucinations  us  beset, 

We  toil  for  naught,  for  naught  we  fret, — 

And  yet, — 

That  'tis  not  all  a  dream  we  know ; 

And  though  like  specters  to  and  fro, 

We  go, — 

We  are  aware  that  we  proceed 

(By  thought  and  word,  by  act  and  deed) 

Unto  what  goal  we  choose  of  two, — 

If  false,  to  Hell ;  to  Heaven  if  true. 


58     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


GREAVES  THE  "  HERETIC  " 

(Lines  written  after  hearing  the   Rev.   Mr.   Greaves,  a 
Socialist  of  New  York  City,  speak  on  Socialism.) 

WHAT  an  awful  power  is  the  power  of  God, 

That  smiteth  one  so  unaware. 
It  smote  the  hearts  of  all  who  heard : 

And  Greaves  the  "  Heretic  "  was  there. 


Beware  the  vials  of  God's  wrath, 

For  what  can  with  His  might  compare? 

Methought  I  heard  the  voice  of  God : 
And  Greaves  the  "  Heretic  "  was  there. 


The  light  of  Heaven  for  which  we  pine, 

Methought  it  shone  on  pew  and  chair. 
"  God  is  not  far  away,"  I  thought : 

And  Greaves  the  "  Heretic  "  v^as  there. 


"  No  man  can  look  on  God  and  live," 

'Tis  said,  "  'tis  more  than  man  can  bear.' 
"  Was  it  an  angel,  then  ?  "  I  thought : 
And  Greaves  the  "  Heretic  "  was  there. 


Who  is  this  "  Greaves  the  '  Heretic  '  "— 
This  "Peter  the  Hermit"  of  a  man?  — 

Can  he  the  problem  solve  has  vexed 
The  world  since  time  began? 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     59 

"  NICE  " 
(Inscribed  to  Miss  M.  C.} 

The  literal  meaning  of  the  word  "nice"  is  "ignorant." 
The  first  definition  given  in  the  Century  Dictionary  is: 
"Ignorant;  foolish;  weak."  All  the  other  senses  of  the 
word  are  developments  of  this  original  meaning.  It  is  an 
old  word.  See  the  Century  Dictionary. 

WHAT  wonders  Time  may  work, —  see  this  word 

"  nice," 

Now  so  precise  — 
Discriminating,  critical,  exact, 
Matter  of  fact, — 
Agreeable  in  every  way,  and  coy, 
Giving  us  joy  — 

Delicate,  soft,  tender,  dainty,  sweet, 
A  word  most  meet  — 

Fine,  modest,  reserved,  speaking  everywhere 
With  scrupulous  care  — 
Subtle  and  accurate  to  a  degree 
We  seldom  see  — 
Particular,  fastidious,  acute, 
Of  Art  the  root  — 

This  word  was  once  (O,  word,  of  Time  the  freak!) 
"Ignorant,  foolish,  zveak!" 


DEATH 

IMPENETRABLE  pall  beyond  the  brink, 

Is  there  no  star  through  thy  profound  to  blink 

With  kindly  ray  to  show  to  man  the  link 


60     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

'Tween  this  world  and  the  next?     Is  it  in  vain 
We  peer  and  ponder?     Man,  proud  man,  would 

fain 
Know  and  be  sure  that  he  shall  live  again 

Beyond  the  grave  when  earthly  body  fails 
And  he  the  breath  of  earthly  life  exhales 
And  with  the  pallor  dread  of  death  he  pales. 

What  is  beyond  ?     Perchance  we  travel  far 
From  earth  on  spirit  wings  to  distant  star, 
(For  millions   on   millions   such   'tis   said  there 
are,) 

And  one  to  Venus,  one  to  Mars  shall  go 

At  death,  perchance,  and  one  perchance  to  woe 

And  one  to  joy!     We  guess  but  cannot  know. 


THE  CITY 

OH,  the  awful,  awful  pity 
Of  the  overcrowded  city  ! 
Here  is  exemplified  indeed 
Squalor  that  is  the  child  of  greed  — 
Here,  indeed,  may  well  be  seen 
How  poor  man  can  himself  demean 
When  pushed  by  squalor  to  the  wall. 
Is't  better  to  die  and  thus  end  all? 
Bought  and  sold  —  no  sense  of  shame 
Slaves  in  all  except  in  name ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS  61 

CONSERVATIVE  AND  ICONOCLAST 
CONSERVATIVE 

"ALAS! 

We  have  let  the  old  faith  go : 
Paled  is  the  mighty  glow 
Martyrs  and  saints  did  know !  " 

ICONOCLAST 

"  Huzza ! 
But  we  have  let  the  cobwebs  go !  " 

CONSERVATIVE 

"  I  know,  I  know !  — 
But  we  have  let  the  old  faith  go, 
That  martyrs  made  and  saints,  I  trow  — 
That  faith  was  true  as  time  will  show !  " 


DARWINISM 

I 

THE  fin  was  made  before  the  hand  — 
(If  science'  lore  we're  to  believe)  - 

The  sea  was  made  before  the  land ;  — 
Did  Venus  precede  Mother  Eve? 


62     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

If  in  the  fish  man's  primal  seed, 

And  fins,  not  feet,  first  to  be  tried, — 

Did  Neptune  Adam  then  precede, 
With  sea-born  Venus  for  his  bride? 

Mermaids  in  the  sea,  perchance, 

There  were,  and  centaurs  on  the  land, 

Ere  man  complete  made  his  entrance, 
Could  in  God's  image  upright  stand. 

If  ape  be  "  missing  link  "  man's  course 
From  fish  to  ape  its  way  did  win  — 

But  how  comes  it  that  dog  or  horse 
In  soul  seem  more  to  man  akin? 

First  came  the  fish,  and  then  the  brute, 
And  then  (the  monkey,  it  may  be?) — 

And  then  the  savage,  ere,  last  fruit, 
Man  civilized  we  see ! 

II 

»* 

But  evolution  is  not  all  — 

There  are  some  mysteries  beside :  — 
From  out  the  void  vague  voices  call 

That  will  not  be  denied ! 

Up  from  the  fish  and  wave !  — 
Up  from  the  worm  and  clod !  — 

Came  man  with  now  a  soul  to  save, 
Who  hopes  to  dwell  with  God ! 

From  fish  and  brute  there  is  no  shame 
Man's  body  did  evolute  and  grow :  — 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     63 

Man's  soul  of  flame  from  God  it  came, 
And  back  to  God  shall  go ! 

And  humbling  thoughts  of  ape  and  fish 
Need  not  to  gloom  man's  soul  consign ; 

Still  Moses  in  his  sacred  niche ! 
Still  Dante's  lay  divine! 

The  Bibles  of  the  world  behold, 

Each  other  that  corroborate ! 
They  wear  a  glory  as  of  old, 

Untouched,  undimmed  by  doubt,  debate ! 

Jesus,  Mohammed  and  the  Buddh, 

Good  Shepherds  of  the  sheep  are  they  — 

With  power  divine  by  God  endued, 
To  Heaven  still  they  lead  the  way ! 

God's  hand  in  present  and  in  past 

It  is  not  difficult  to  see, — 
The  hand  of  God  from  first  to  last, 

At  work  eternally ! 


LONGINGS  FOR  HEAVEN 

AH,  why  should  we  linger  longer?  — 
Ah,  why  linger  longer  here? 

Shall  the  spirit's  wings  grow  stronger  — 
Shall  the  dear  Lord  grow  more  near 

If  we  wait  and  linger  longer 

In  this  groveling  earthly  sphere? 


64     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

There  is  joy  in  heaven  above  us — 
There  is  joy  and  all  is  fair! 

Here  on  earth  no  one  to  love  us 
And  full  many  a  grief  to  bear: 

There  is  joy  in  heaven  above  us  — 
Would  that  we  might  hasten  there ! 

Ah,  God!  that  we  might  live  a  holy 
Life,  for  heaven  to  prepare ! 

Stained  with  sin,  how  melancholy 
Should  we  mount  the  Golden  Stair : 

We  might  climb  to  heaven  slowly  — 
But  could  we  enter  there  ? 


INTUITION  AND  REASON 

COMES  Reason  now,  slow-plodding  up  the  slope 
To  where  Instinct  arrived  at  one  swift  bound. 

The  pure  in  heart  see  God,  while  scholars  grope 
In  darkness,  and  the  glory  have  not  found. 

The  mind  is  to  be  reverenced,  but  more 
The  soul,  which  has  a  vision  all  its  own ; 

And  dull  and  blind  the  eye  of  flesh  before 
The  spirit's  eye,  that  on  from  zone  to  zone 
Flies  swift,  and  reaches  even  to  God's  throne. 


PROGRESS 

THE  world  wags  on,  and  progress  makes 
But  what  a  bloody  toll  it  takes! 
Ah,  blessed  be  the  hero's  dower  — 
The  poet's  song  —  the  word  of  power  — 
That  hastens  the  Millennial  hour! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     65 


THE  EARTH,  THE  WORLD  AND  THE 
PROPHET 


WITH  every  star  that  fills  the  skies 
Our  star,  the  Earth,  drifts  on  for  aye; 

And  man,  that  thinks  himself  so  wise, 
As  blindly  drifts  as  they. 

II 

Behind  the  curtain  none  can  see, 
And  purpose,  plan,  discover  quite; 

But  suns  and  moons  and  stars  and  we 
Drift  on  in  aimless  flight. 

Ill 

Could  men  but  glance  behind  the  veil 
And  all  the  mighty  plan  survey, 

Full  many  a  scoffer  would  turn  pale, 
Perchance,  and  haste  to  pray. 

IV 

Behind  the  veil  in  holy  trance, 

Of  plan  and  purpose,  heaven  and  hell 

The  prophet  hath  a  glimpse,  perchance, 
As  Holy  Scriptures  tell. 

V 

The  prophet's  message  comes  to  naught  — 
Men  kill  the  prophet,  and  forget. 

And  still  the  world  drifts  on  distraught, 
And  kills  its  prophets  yet. 


66     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


IT  IS  THE  LORD 

"  Therefore  that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  saith  unto 
Peter,  It  is  the  Lord."— The  Gospel  according  to  Saint 
John  (XXI  7). 


THERE  are  so  blind  they  fail  to  see 
God's  hand  in  rout  or  victory, — 
Who  think  by  happy  chance  was  won 
Our  freedom  by  great  Washington; 
That  but  a  happy  circumstance 
Was  Appomattox;  and  by  chance 
Was  guided  safe  our  Ship  of  State  — 
Our  Union  saved  —  by  Lincoln  great. 
But  who  the  writing  on  the  wall 
Believe  they  read  and  see  it  all, 
To  them  how  brightly  shines  each  word : — 
"  It  was  the  Lord." 

II 

And  who  can  doubt  that  in  the  dim 
Manila  dawn  God  was  with  him 
Who  in  that  mighty  battle's  space 
The  keynote  struck,  and  set  the  pace 
For  all  the  war  that  was  to  come, — 
Of  valiant  deeds  a  glorious  sum? 
God  spoke  the  word,  and  Dewey  led, 
And  in  his  footsteps  soon  forth  sped 
Hobson,  and  Schley,  old  Wheeler,  too, — 
Heroes  upon  heroes,  the  long  list  grew. 
Stands  it  not  written  with  Dewey's  sword  :- 
"  It  is  the  Lord  "  ? 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     67 

ENOUGH 

"  Enough  is  as  good  as  a  feast." 

WHAT  more  should  we  desire, — 

All  us  that  have  enough?  — 
To  wallow  in  the  mire 

Of  surfeit, —  gorge  and  stuff? 

"  God  be  with  us  ever !  " 

Our  prayer  of  prayers  should  be, — 
But  riches  oft'  dissever 

The  heart,  O,  God,  from  thee ! 

Which  are  saved    by  which? 

Neither  by  neither,  'tis  sure : — 
The  rich  by  being  rich, 

Or  the  poor  by  being  poor. 

THE  GREAT  CHURCH  OUT-OF-DOORS 


No  temples  else  had  He  — 

Jesus,  the  Nazarene, 
Who  died  upon  the  tree, 

But  out-of-doors,  I  ween. 

II 

No  temple  built  with  hands ;  — 
For  temples  these  did  count :  — 

Upon  the  salt  sea  sands  — 
Upon  the  breezy  Mount. 


68  EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

III 

How    fair   Thy   temples    are, 

O  God,  by  day  or  night ! 
With  Phoebus'  golden  car  — 

With   Luna's  silver  light, — 
With  sun  and  moon  and  star, 
How  fair  Thy  temples  are! 

DID  CHRIST  DIE  FOR  NAUGHT? 

SADLY  the  Poet  ponders :  "  Behold  the  Patriot-seer, 
Who  looked  to  God  for  guidance  and  saw  the  vision 

clear  — 
And  faltered  not  in  duty  for  pelf  or  craven  fear!  — 

"  How  fared  it  with  that  noble  man  ?     Sad  tale  'tis 

to  rehearse, 
(This  world's  a  world  where  naught's  revered  but 

money  in  the  purse,) 
His  pity  for  the  downtrod  slave  was  turned  into  a 

curse ! 

"  Ah,  God !     'tis  passing  sweet  to  be  '  at  one  '  with 

Thee  and  Thine  — 
To  work  in  harmony  with  Thee  and  do  Thy  will 

divine  — 
But  bloody  is  the  sacrifice  as  curse  the  most  malign ! 

"  The  Greeks  put  Socrates  to  death  —  the  Jews  their 

Christ  did  slay: 
Will  that  Millennial  time  e'er  come  when  men  can 

truly  say : 
"  'That  cruel  age  is  past  and  gone  —  it  is  not  so 

to-day ! ' " 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     69 


THE  NEW  EVANGEL 

"  WHY  should  '  My  People '  war  upon 

And  slay  each  other  ?  "  saith  the  Lord ; 

"  For  is  not  Satan  still  to  fight, 

With  all  his  wicked  imps  abhorred  ? 

"  His  creatures  are  a  swarm,  that  seek 

To  wreck  and  ruin  all  My  Earth, 
So   that    My  angels   strive   in  vain, 
And  tremble  at  each  new  child's  birth. 

"  That  Satan  working  on  the  hearts 

Of  evil  men  My  saints  should  slay, 
To  be  expected  is,  but  when 

Good  men  other  good  men  betray 

"  From  ignorance,  more  stress,  'tis  plain, 

On  education  should  be  placed. 
My  Buddha  is  to  Me  as  dear 

As  is  My  Christ- — no  love  I  waste. 

"  Gautama,  who  is  Buddha  called, 
In  Asia  millions  saves  for  Me, 
And  just  as  truly  is  My  Son 
As  Jesus  Christ.     Shall  Deity 

"The  heart  of  man  inspire  for  naught? 

Enough !  —  Behold  I  say  'twas  I 
With  love  the  heart  of  Buddha  fired 
To  save  men's  souls !     The  vaulted  sky 


70     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

"  That  all  contains,  and  has  no  end 

And  reaches  to  the  farthest  star, 
Is  not  so  all-embracing  as 

My  love  and  plan  and  purpose  are! 

"  Great  Socrates  shall  I  forget, 

Who  just  as  truly  died  for  Me 
As  Jesus?     Was  the  hemlock-cup 
Less  bitter  than  the  cruel  tree? 

"  Did  I  not  to  Confucius  give, 

As  well  as  Christ,  the  '  Golden  Rule '  ? 
And  Mohammed,  first  great  foe  of  wine, 
Was  he  not,  too,  My  faithful  tool? 

"  And  Zoroaster,  Persian  sage, 

Behold  'twas  I  with  him  communed, 
And  found  him  wise  and  faithful,  and 
To  heaven's  harmony  attuned. 

"  Of  God  and  Devil  what  knew  the  Jews, 

And  what  knew  they  of  Heaven  and  Hell 
Before  the  Persians  taught  them  what 
To  Zoroaster  I  did  tell  ? 

"  Why,  all  the  Bibles  of  the  world 

Are  Mine  !  —  I  ended  and  began !  — 
The  Christians'  Bible ;  and  the  Vedas ; 
The  Zend-Avesta  ;  the  Koran  ; 

"  The  Five  Kings  ;  the  Tripitakas  ; 

The  Eddas :  — Bibles  seven  these;  — 
But  Rome  I  sent  Aurelius, 

And  Greece  Plato  and  Socrates. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     71 

"  In  different  languages  though  they, 

My  prophets  and  My  saints,  may  speak, 
Their  message  yet  is  still  the  same, 
For  all  to  save  men's  souls  do  seek. 

"  And  therefore  they  who  Me  would  please, 

And  show  their  love  for  Mine  and  Me, 
Must  cultivate  the  '  Open  Mind/ 
And  rid  their  hearts  of  bigotry. 

"  Who  do  My  will  and  keep  My  law 
Are  My  beloved,"  saith  the  Lord ; 

"  Be  they  of  Buddha  or  of  Christ  — 

On  them  My  love  shall  be  outpoured. 

"  For  sect,  religion,  what  care  I  ? 

I  read  the  heart  and  I  can  tell : 
I  send  each  to  their  proper  place  — 
The  good  to  heaven,  the  bad  to  hell." 


IN  THE  SHADE  OF  THE  VINEYARD'S 
WALL 

WHERE  the  bosomed  hills  are  green, 
And  pensive  browse  the  quiet  kine, — 

And  purling  brook  flows  in  between, 
In  shady  spot  I  lie  supine. 

I  watch  the  birds  within  the  wood, 
And  list  their  pretty,  witching  lay  — 

The  woodpecker  in  scarlet  hood, 
The  robin,  thrush,  blue  jay. 


72     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

The  peewee's  ever  plaintive  cry, 

"  Peel-Wee!"  whence  comes  his  name; 

The  tanager,  genteel  and  shy, 
His  vest  a  scarlet  flame. 

The  song-sparrow,  well-named,,  I  wis, 
Sweet  note,  and  quite  a  singer  too ;  — 

A  song  for  lovers  when  they  kiss,   . 
An  honest  song  for  lovers  true. 

The  jay  has  on  a  fine  blue  coat, 

But  hear  him  scold  the  livelong  day ; 

And  the  humming-bird  has  a  ruby  throat, 
But  hasn't  a  word  to  say. 

There's  compensation  in  the  brute, 
Go  north  or  south,  go  east  or  west ;  — 

The  bird-of-paradise  is  mute, 
The  nightingale  is  plainly  drest. 


THE  WISSAHICKON  HILLS 

UPON  the  Wissahickon  hills 
So  thick  the  laurel  grows, 

And  there  the  throstle  sweetest  trills, 
Where  the  Wissahickon  flows. 

And  when  I  lay  me  down  and  die 

Ah,  let  it  be  the  where 
The  Wissahickon  'neath  the  sky 

Lyeth  so  fair,  so  fair! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     73 

Hills  that  my  boyhood's  feet  have  trod 

Full  many  a  time  and  oft, 
With  wings  of  youthful  spirits  shod, 

And  clambered  up  aloft 

To  all  her  hilltops  every  one 

Among  her  gray  rocks  hoary, 
And  know  full  well  each  path  and  stone 

And  scene  of  olden  story. 

I  cannot  die  so  far  away 

From  that  fair  stream  I  love  so  well, 
Once  more  beside  her  banks  I'd  stray 

That  wind  by  many  a  hill  and  dell. 

I  cannot  die  so  far  from  thee, 

Oh,  stream,  with  all  thy  rocks  and  rills  — 
Before  I  die,  ah,  let  me  see 

Once  more  the  Wissahickon  hills. 


LINES 

IF  death  for  me  should  ope  his  pearly  door 

Some  night,  and  I  should  waken   on  the  farther 

shore  — 
What  should  I  find  them  doing?  —  Eleanor, 

My  father  and  my  mother,  and  all  the  rest, 

In  that   bright   land   of   Heaven  where   dwell  the 

blest? 
Would  they  be  busy  with  some  high  behest  — 


74     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Some  daily  avocation  as  th'  swift  years  roll  — 
Some  wondrous  schooling  for  th'  expanding  soul 
'Mong  angels  striving  for  some  mighty  goal  ? 


EVENTS 

(Lines  on  the  futility  of  human  efforts  unaccompanied 
by  the  power  of  the  grace  of  God.) 

FROM  womb  of  time  they  issue  forth : 
Our  strivings  seem  but  little  worth  — 

Our  hopes  and  prayers  may  count  for  more, 
That  fly,  like  angels,  on  before. 

And  yet  to  hope  and  pray  were  vain 
Did  we  not  strive  and  strive  again. 

'Tis  what  we  are  that  counts  the  most, 
Not  what  we  do,  else  were  we  lost. 

»* 

The  best  we  have  or  shall  attain 
Is  not  our  wage  for  hand  or  brain 
So  much  as  gift  of  God,  'tis  plain. 


LINES 

BROTHER,  we  are  growing  old, 
We're  growing  old  together; 

No  matter  how  the  old  world  wags  — 
Through  fair  and  stormy  weather. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     75 

Brother,  we  are  growing  old, 

'Tis  Father  Time  that  leads  us ; 
Though  one  have  naught  and  one  have  gold, 

We're  growing  old  together. 


BY  THE  SEA 

ROLL  in,  roll  in,  ye  waves 

Upon  the  sandy  beach !  — 
Though  oft  with  aching  heart, 

Our  lips  to  smile  we  teach  — 
Man  lives  his  life  apart, 

No  power  his  pain  can  reach  — 
Roll  in,  roll  in,  ye  waves 

Upon  the  sandy  beach! 


SLEEPS  SHE  A  SPACE? 

SLEEPS  she  a  space?  or  moves  she  now 
In  some  new  round  of  duties  high, 

One  of  some  fair,  angelic  race 

In  some  bright  orb  that  gems  the  sky? 

Life,  death,  and  the  hereafter,  lo, 
Mysteries  these  that  reason  mock; 

But  aye  serene  the  star  of  faith 
Shines  on  secure  from  every  shock. 

We  feel,  we  know :  —  Sufficient  light 
Is  given  that  our  eyes  can  bear: 


76     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Jesus,  Confucius,  Socrates, 

Have  spoken,  doubt  their  words  who  dare. 

Mohammed  doubt,  and  Zoroaster, 
Gautama  doubt,  doubt  eye  and  ear; 

But  there's  a  voice  in  thy  own  breast, 
Oh,  man,  thou  canst  not  help  but  hear. 

Hath  God  from  His  high  Heaven  come  down 
And  made  by  His  compelling  voice 

Martyrs   of  saints,  and  all  for  naught?  — 
And  martyred  seers  from  bloody  choice? 

Hath  God  in  every  land  was  fit 
Inspired  His  Bibles  all  for  naught, 

That  bring  the  bright  Millennium  on 
Which  day  by  day  is  nearer  brought? 


THE  MARTYR. 


I  CANNOT  let  go  of  God's  hand, 

And  go  my  way  of  Heaven  unblest ! 

Who  is  on  friendly  terms  with  God 
Can  do  without  the  rest. 

Let  not  go  my  hand,  O,  God ! 

I  pray  thee,  whatsoe'er  I  do  — 
But  see  me  safely  to  the  end, 

Life's  maze  and  pitfalls  through ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     77 

II 

Alas  for  sins  that  separate 

From  God  and  leave  us  all  forlorn! 
Tis  better  to  be  beggar-poor, 

And  suffer  all  men's  scorn ! 

Better  are  manacles  and  gyves, 

The  prison-cell,  the  hangman's  cart, — 

Better  the  torture  and  the  rack, 
Or  by  wild  horses  torn  apart! 

'Twas  not  for  naught  that  saints  have  died 
And  prophets  —  beaten,  tortured,  burned  — 

For  only  so,  as  all  men  know, 

Their  glorious  crowns  they  earned. 


LIFE'S   AFTERNOON 

'Tis  now  past  noon, 

And  soon 

We  must  go  hence. 

Beyond  the  light  of  day  — 

And   the   sun's    ray? 

Into  the  darkness  quite? 

Or  dim  twilight 

Such  as  the  old  Greeks  tell, 

In  fields  of  asphodel? 


Nay: 

But  into  the  brighter  day, 

As  we  believe, 

So  do  not  grieve, 

And   into   the    fuller  and   completer   life. 


78     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


WHAT  MUST  I  DO  TO  BE  SAVED? 

WERE  I  born  in  the  land  of  Confucius, — 

A  slit-eyed  Chinese  with  a  queu  — 
I'd  go  to  a  "  Joss  "  House  to  worship, 

Most  likely,  and  so,  sir,  would  you : 
If  we,  Yankees  born,  were  born  Chinamen, 

We  should  do  as  the  Chinamen  do. 

Were  I  born  in  the  land  of  Gautama, — 
Were  I  born  and  brought  up  a  Hindoo, — 

I  should  worship  the  Buddha,  most  likely, 
And  so,  sir,  most  likely,  would  you : 

If  we,  Yankees  born,  were  born  Hindoos, 
We  should  do  as  the  Hindoos  do. 

But  what  use  pursue  the  theme  further  ? 

Do  we  not  all  know  that  'tis  true?  — 
Translate  me  the  words  of  Confucius, 

Gautama,  and  Jesus  the  Jew,— 
And,  behold,  they  all  teach  the  same  precept :  — 

"  Be  good  !     Be  good  and  good  do !  " 


LINES 

I 

FIVE  in  Heaven  and  five  on  earth : 
Who  shall  be  the  next  to  go  ?  — 

The  next  to  take  the  second  birth 
For  weal  or  woe? 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     79 

II 

Tis  surely  not  so  hard  to  do  — 

As  many  loved  ones  there  as  here  — 

The  dreaded  portal  to  pass  through  — 
That  men  most  fear. 

Ill 

Not  that  I  wish  to  leave  you,  dears, — 
Brothers  and  sisters  good  and  kind, — 

Yet  let  this  thought  help  dry  their  tears 
Who're  left  behind. 


HOW    THE    LATE    BISHOP    BARKER 
PLAYED  CRICKET  WHEN  A  BOY 

("Bishop  Barker  is  dead." — From  a  special  dispatch  to 
the  San  Francisco  Examiner  from  Tacom'a,  February  21, 
1901.) 

SAY,  Waltie,  do  you  remember, — 

(Ah,  I  know  you  remember  it  well) 
But  let  me  fan  memory's  ember, 

And  the  little  story  tell, — 
How  the  Bishop  drove  the  cricket  ball 

And  all  our  rules  pellmell? 


His  smile  was  bland  as  he  took  the  bat 
And  lazily  he  waited  for  the  ball ; 

But  when  it  came,  ran  out,  and  "  pat !  " 
It  never  had  a  chance  to  fall  — 


80     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

The  well-pitched  ball,  and  a  "  twister,"  that 

Would   surely   have   knocked   his    wickets   all 

Had  he  but  let  it  touch  the  ground 

And  given  the  twisting  sphere  a  chance. 

Don't  you  remember  how  he  did  pound 
The  ball  that  day  and  make  us  dance  — 

How  round  the  yard  with  many  a  bound 

His  strong  arm  made  our  poor  legs  prance? 

Over  the  house,  and  over  the  fence  — 
The  far  fence,  Waltie,  don't  you  know? 

The  far  front  fence? — "  What  was  the  sense 
Of  hitting  the  ball  so  hard?  "  I  trow, 

Thought  we,  as  hither  and  thither  and  thence 
Flew  the  Bishop's  "  drivers  "  long  ago. 

High  in  the  air  !  —  it  might  have  been  caught !  — 

But  wasn't  —  so  on  he  played ; 
Many  chances  he  ran,  but  still  he  wrought, 

And  long  his  defeat  was  delayed; 
With  dangers  many  and  great  is  fraught 

Such  "  swiping,"  but  still  he  stayed. 


Don't  you  remember  it,  Waltie?  — 
Yes,  I  know  you  remember  it  well. 

And  now  you  say  Bill  Barker  is  dead  — 
That  e'er  now  has  tolled  his  funeral  knell ; 

But  how  full  of  life  he  was  that  day 
In  the  long  ago,  of  which  I  tell ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     81 

THERE  IS  "  A  LAND  OF  PURE  DELIGHT  " 

I 

THERE  is  "  a  land  of  pure  delight,  where  saints 

and  angels  dwell," 
Else  Jesus  erred,  and  Socrates,  and  Holy  Writ  as 

well; 
Else  Lincoln  erred,  and  Washington  —  both  great, 

both  wise  and  just, 
And  many  more,  the  noblest  names,  in  that  faith 

put  their  trust. 

II 

And  though  the  vision  that  assures  is  not  vouch 
safed  to  all, 

That  faith  lives  on  for  aye  all  round  this  wide  ter 
restrial  ball : 

The  world's  religions  are  as  one,  nations  and  tribes 
unite, 

In  that  sweet  faith  of  joy  to  come  —  the  "Land  of 
Pure  Delight." 

THE  OUTSIDER 

I  CARE  not  for  the  Church's  mission, 
The  learned  preacher's  disquisition 
On  Sin,  Damnation,  and  Contrition. 

The  great  and  good  of  every  age 
My  preachers  are:     On  many  a  page 
Of  books  I  list  their  sermons  sage. 


82     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

No  man  shall  cull  those  fruits  for  me 
That  hang  from  Wisdom's  boughs  so  free, 
First-hand  I  pluck  them  from  the  tree. 

THE  DEAR  LORD  KNOWS 

THE  dear  Lord  knows  how  much  we  grieve  • 
Our  weakness  knows  full  well ; 

But  if  He  knows  all's  for  the  best, 
Shall  we  repine,  rebel? 

He  reads  our  minds,  He  knows  our  sin, 

And  if  our  hearts  be  right ; 
And  if  we  strive  to  do  His  will, 

And  make  a  valiant  fight. 

His  angels  are  on  every  side 

To  help  us  on  our  way, 
And  though  the  earthly  night  be  dark, 

Soon  comes  the  Heavenly  day; 

And  we've  not  very  far  to  go, 

The  time  will  not  be  long  — 
Can  we  not  wait  a  little  while, 
Can  we  not  wait  a  little  while, 

And  suffer,  and  be  strong? 

A  PRAYER 

I 

GOD  knoweth  our  desire, 
God  knoweth  what  we  require ; 
He  knoweth  our  hearts'  behest, 
But  He  knoweth  what  is  best. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     83 

II 

Unsure  is  the  mind's  decision  — 
God  grant  us  His  grace  elysian ; 
Unsure  is  the  heart's  behest  — 
God  grant  us  what  is  best ! 


WOMAN'S  LOVE 

MY  angel  dwells  in  earthly  form 

And  tenement  of  clay, 
And  eats  and  drinks  like  any  worm 

That  walks  the  king's  highway. 

Poor  man's  a  wretched  worm,  I  trow, 
And   naughtiness   beseems   him; 

He  wanders  wanton  to  and  fro 
Till  woman's  love  redeems  him. 


A  PRAYER 

WHAT  is  just  and  right, 
And  pleasing  in  Thy  sight 
O  God  of  might  — 

Grant  us,  we  pray  — 
Grant  us  to-day  — 
Now  and  for  aye ! 


84  EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


THE  SAVAGE  STILL  PERSISTS 
I 

BENEATH  the  culture  of  the  schools, 

And  fashion  of  the  town, 
The  brutal  savage  still  persists 

For  aye  and  will  not  down. 

II 

In  Paris,  London,  and  Berlin, 

Their  palaces  among, 
Are  savages  as  gross  and  vile 

As  when  the  world  was  young. 

Ill 

"As  gross  and  vile?"     Are  they  not  worse? 

Even  by  slow  degrees 
Could  decent  people  e'er  spring  from 

Blackguards  such  as  these? 


ARISE  AND  SHINE! 

LET  not  despair  possession  take 

Of  heart  and  brain, 

And  fall  inane, 
Or  fling  thy  body  in  the  lake, 
Or  plunge  a  dagger  to  thy  heart :  — 
Arise !  and  act  the  hero's  part ! 
Thy  tale  of  woe's  a  world-old  story : 
Arise  and  shine  !  —  and  give  God  the 
Glory ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS  85 


THE  BIGOT 

To  brutes  whose  nature  'tis  to  slay 
'Tis  vain  to  make  appeal  — 

The  jungle-tiger  hunts  its  prey 
And  tears  it  up  piecemeal  — 

Yet  e'en  a  man  of  coarsest  clay 
May  have  a  heart  to  feel. 

But  when  was  hand  of  bigot  stayed  — 

On  bloody  quest  intent  — 
By  prayers  or  tears  of  man  or  maid, 

Or  voice  from  Heaven  sent? 
Was  Torquemada  so  delayed?  — 

Or  Cotton  Mather  spent? 

Still  thrives  the  bigot  as  of  yore, 
While  narrow  minds  increase  — 

They  dark  the  window,  close  the  door, 
And  chatter  on  like  geese : 

Shall  Torquemadas  come  once  more? 
And  Cotton  Mathers  never  cease? 


THE  WICKED  WORLD  AND  SALVATION 

(Verses  inspired  by  the  contemplation  of  the  long  list  of 
failures  of  projects  to  benefit  and  uplift  the  human  race, 
such  as  "  Brook  Farm.") 


IN  every  age,  in  every  clime, 

Back  to  the  farthest  point  of  time, 

The  world  still  wallows  in  its  slime. 


86     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Holy  men  and  saints  afire 

With  dreams  that  unto  heaven  aspire, — 

Have  all,  then,  failed  to  lift  it  higher? 

Shrinks  the  bravest  back  aghast 
As  they  gaze  upon  the  past :  — 
The  Powers  of  Evil  still  stand  fast ! 

Long  the  list  of  failures  dire, 

And  heaven  on  earth  is  now  no  nigher:  — 

The  world  still  wallows  in  its  mire! 

II 

What  matter  names  ?  —  the  mere  outsides  - 
The  foam  that  floats  upon  the  tides? 
Beneath,  Old  Adam  still  abides. 

And  still  men  fool  themselves  withal, 

As    fast  the   centuries   befall, 

And  by  new  names  the  old  things  call. 

But  worry  not  and  do  not  weep, 

For  when  at  last  we  fall  asleep, 

Be  sure  the  Shepherd  will  krfow  His  sheep ! 


NEW  YORK 
I 

LET  me  sing  in  rhythmic  numbers 
The   great   city   that   never   slumbers  - 
That  never  slumbers,  never  sleeps, 
But  laughs  for  aye,  forever  weeps. 
That  teems  with  restless  life  for  aye  — 
Night  and  day! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     87 

II 

The  Imperial  City  never  sleeps  — 

Her  millions  never  cease  to  plod; 
Upon  her  imperious  way  she  sweeps, 

Magnificent,  with  grandeur  shod. 

At  night,  its  palaces  ablaze 

With  myriads  of  lights,  it  seems 
To  one  who  from  afar  doth  gaze, 

Like  Fairyland  or  Land  of  Dreams ! 

On  many  a  maiden's  hand  of  snow 
Gold  glitters,  precious   jewels  glow; 
On  many  a  proud  dame's  queenly  breast 
Jewels  of  princely  value  rest. 
Its  men  of  millions  when  they  stride 
They  rock  the  world  from  side  to  side. 

And  do  they  live  and  linger  yet :  — 

Honor  high  and  love  divine  — 
Midst  all  this  froth  and  foam  and  fret? 

They  do  —  their  rainbow-hues  still  shine! 

They  do  —  they  are  not  ousted  quite, 
They  still  exist,  a  grateful  sight, 
In  spots,  to  cheer  the  cynic's  eye: 
'Tis  God  upholds,  they  cannot  die. 

Ill 

Ah,  would  there  were  no  other  side 
To  this  fair  scene  of  pomp  and  pride !  — 
Alas!  the  poor,  the  poor,  the  POOR! 
That  pestilence  which  none  can  cure! 


88     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Alas  for  white  slaves  pinched  and  pale !  — 
They  pine,  they  die  —  loud  is  their  wail. 
Rags,  penury,  the  pinch  of  want, 
The  streets  of  the  Imperial  City  haunt. 

And  ever  the  flood  of  vice  and  crime 
(Bedaubed  with  gore,  besmirched  with  slime) 
Flows  on  relentless  'neath  the  tide 
Of  gaudy  grandeur,  pomp  and  pride. 

In  squalor  dire,  in  shanty,  shack, — 

In  hut  and  hovel,  tenement, — 
They  swarm,  a  swinish,  wolfish  pack, 

By  police  hounded  aye  and  pent. 

The  Imperial  City  rots  at  the  core, 
With  a  stench  that  stifles  it  more  and  more. 
O  where's  the  physician  can  cure  this  ill  ?  — 
Can  we  not  cure  it  ourselves  if  we  will? 


POETS  AND  PROPHETS  AND  THE  WORLD 

I 

FROM  Homer  to  Walt  Whitman,  when  the  time 
Poets  for  filthy  lucre  framed  their  rhyme? 
At  God's  behest  they  sing,  time-servers  never  — 
Unyoked  the  bard,  and  free  as  air  forever! 
Hitch  to  the  plow  proud  Pegasus  you  may, 
But  bind  his  soul  with  lies  and  shams  ?  —  Nay, 
nay! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     89 

II 

The  worldling  and  the  poet  far  apart 

Are  as  the  poles  —  the  poet's  pen  and  mart 

By  gulf  profound  are  separated  wide :  — 

Ah,  me!  times  past  what  glorious  names  have  died 

In  penury  in  midst  of  pomp  and  pride ! 

In  book  begilt  the  world  his  swan-song  keeps, 

The  while  in  pauper's  grave  the  poet  sleeps ! 

And  still  the  play  proceeds  without  surcease  — 

Till  opes  his  grave  ne'er  finds  the  poet  peace : 

Beside  the  prophet  aye  he  lays  him  down 

At  last  to  die,  slain  by  the  cold  world's  frown. 

Ill 

From  felon's  death  with  all  its  bitter  throes 

Jesus  and  Socrates  to  Glory  rose. 

In  realms  divine  their  souls  shall  dwell  for  aye : 

But  as  the  world  was  then  it  is  to-day. 

The  prison-cell  and  bitter  death  of  shame 

But  adds  more  glory  to  the  martyr's  name. 

Good  cause,  O  World,  have  we  thee  to  mistrust :  — 

To  thieves  a  banquet !  —  to  honest  men  a  crust ! 

IV 

But  poet  and  prophet  are  not  always  spurned :  — 
Luther  escaped  though  Savonarola  burned. 
To  Longfellow,  Tennyson,  the  world  was  kind, 
Though  Keats  and  Camoens  suffered  and  repined, 
And  Poe  in  penury  lived  all  his  years 
And  wrote  his  "  Raven  "  in  a  rain  of  tears. 
And  though  to  the  cross  Jesus  the  Jew  was  nailed, 
In  China  Confucius'  life  was  not  assailed. 
And  though  for  Socrates  the  death  of  shame, 
Marcus  Aurelius  an  emperor  became. 


90     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


THE  MIND  OF  MAN  IS  PRONE  TO  ERR 

I 

THE  mind  of  man  is  prone  to  err  as  is  his  soul  to 
sin, 

Through  all  the  world  from  end  to  end  strides  im 
perfection  in  — 

From  eels  and  tadpoles  up  to  man,  perfection  none 
can  win. 

II 

It  is  the  common  doom  of  all  on  this  wide  earth 
that  live ; 

Who  seeks  perfection  on  this  earth  seeks  water  in 
a  sieve, 

Brethren,  let  us  think  of  this,  'twill  help  us  to  for 
give! 


SALVATION'S  ONLY  PLAN  THAT'LL  NOT 
BETRAY 

IT  has  the  guaranty  of  saint  and  seer, 

And    should    be    thundered    till    the    deaf    should 

hear : — 

Salvation's  only  plan  that'll  not  betray 
Is  just:     "Be  good!"     There  is  no  other  way. 

No  easy  creed  it  was  that  Jesus  taught 

And  Socrates,  unto  a  world  distraught. 

"  Be  good  "  their  only  password  to  the  skies :  — 

Who  trusts  aught  else  beside  he  is  not  wise. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     91 

This  cheap,  huckster-salvation  of  to-day, 
Its  hours  are  numbered  —  soon  'twill  pass  away ; 
But  "  goodness  "  still  password  to  Heaven  shall  be 
While  time  shall  last  and  to  eternity! 


TRUE  EVEN  UNTO  DEATH 

MAY  a  noble  man  be  noble  — 

May  sweet  woman  dare  be  sweet  — 

In  this  world  of  good  and  evil, 
Sadly  mixed  and  incomplete? 

'Tis  God  in  Heaven  watches  o'er  us  — 
Our  parts  heroic  we  must  play, 

Like  heroes  who  have  lived  before  us, 
Who  were  noble  in  their  day. 

Let  the  coward  fail  and  falter  — 
Let  the  knave  forsake,  betray :  — 

Better  the  scaffold  and  the  halter ! 
Come  death  there  is  no  other  way ! 


NEW  YEAR'S  EVE 

I 

ON  mountain  height  or  wind-swept  plain 

We  shall  not  lose  our  hearts'  dull  pain ; 

Go  where  we  will,  it  still  abides : 

We  cannot  find  it  where  it  hides 

To  fling  it  forth  from  out  our  breasts  — 

Deep  in  our  souls  secure  it  rests. 


92     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

II 

But  now  as  horns  and  whistles  blare 
The  Old  Year  dies  —  we  breathe  a  prayer 
The  New  Year's  foot  is  on  the  stair. 
And  now  in  the  door  that  opens  wide 
Behold  the  New  Year  bravely  stride ! 
Forgotten  be  our  hearts'  dull  pain  — 
The  New  Year  dawns !  let's  try  again ! 


THE  GRAND  OLD  MEN 

THE  wise  and  good,  the  seer  and  saint, — 
To  crush  them  has  the  world  had  qualms? 

Alas !  it  spared  not  Socrates 

Or  Jesus  — cruel  'twas  to  these 
(Earth's  best)  as  wolves  to  lambs! 


O  bitter  Marah  of  this  world ! 

Thou  turnest  many  a  heart  to  gall 
That  once  was  sweet  as  any  spring 
Which   from  the  earth  is  issuing, 

And  quaffed  with  blessings  is  by  all ! 


Ah,  sweet  indeed  must  be  that  man, 

Whether  he  wields  the  sword  or  pen, 
Or  lives  by  trade  or  by  the  plow, 
Who  issues  forth,  still  sweet,  somehow, 
At  three-score-years-and-ten ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     93 

LOVE  AND  DEATH 
HE 

"  WE  grow  cold  as  we  grow  old, — 

So  they  say. 
Only  the  young  are  warm  and  bold, — 

So  they  say. 

Shall  the  same  of  us  be  told, 
That  we  grew  cold  as  we  grew  old  ?  " 

SHE 

"  Nay,  dearest,  nay ! 
I  cannot  think  'twill  e'er  be  true 

Of  thou  and  me ! 

O  e'en  if  thou  from  me  wert  ta'en 
By  death  to  some  far  star's  domain  — 

Why  — " 


HE 


"  Dear  love,  you  pause,  I  see. 
Ah,  this  it  is  congeals  the  heart 

As  we  grow  old  — 
Our  loved  ones  from  this  earth  depart  — 

No  wonder  we  grow  cold ! 
God  pity  us,  poor  worms  of  dust  — 
We  weep  though  in  His  Heaven  we  trust : 
Love's  separation  and  despair, 
God  knows  how  hard  it  is  to  bear !  " 


94  EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 


RESTING  BY  THE  SUMMER  SEA 

RESTING!  O,  just  resting  —  resting  — 

By  the  summer  sea! 
With  my  coat  my  cares  divesting, 

Dropping  all  anxiety, — 
Coatless,  careless,  lazily 

Resting  by  the  summer  sea ! 

Back  there  in  the  smoky  city, — 

On  life's  race-course  hot  and  dry  — 

Men  are  straining  for  life's  baubles, — 
Wealth  and  fame  —  while  here  am  I, 

On  the  sea-beach  stretched  supinely, 

Where  the  sea-breeze  blows  divinely, 
Resting  by  the  summer  sea! 


OH,  WHO  CAN  DOUBT? 

* 

OH,  who  can  doubt  that  has  a  mind  to  know, 
A  heart  to  feel,  that  all  are  equal  so  ?  — 
The  Jew,  the  Greek,  the  Hindoo,  the  Chinese, 
Their   chance    for   Heaven  the   same   if  God  they 
please. 

Who  live  an  upright  life  —  beggar  or  king  — 
Their  souls  at  death  to  Heaven  shall  take  wing. 
The   Protestant,   the    Papist  —  Turk,   Hindoo  — 
The  Christian  and  Mohammedan  and  Jew. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     95 

"  Who  pray  aright  their  prayer  shall  answered  be. 

Who  prayed  to  Jupiter  they  prayed  to  Me; 

To   Me  they   prayed   who   prayed  to   Buddh   and 

Thor  — 
My  angels  keep  their  watch  on  every  shore. 

"  Have  I  not  sent  My  prophets  down  to  men 
Of  every  race  —  and  o'er  and  o'er  again? 
Have   they   not  all   the   selfsame  message  told  — 
To-day  and  yesterday  and  days  of  old?  " 


RESPITE 

AN  interval  of  silence  deep 

In  green  woods  that  forever  sleep ; 

In  valleys  by  green  hills  shut  in 
Forgot  are  mart  and  market's  din ; 

In  stroll  by  stream  in  flowery  mead 
Forgotten  is  the  cold  world's  greed. 


PRECIOUS  IS  GOLD 

PRECIOUS  is  gold  for  what  it  brings, 
And  diamonds  for  their  beauty  rare ; 

But  far  more  precious  than  such  things, 
And  far,  O  far  more  fair, 
God's  mercy  is,  beyond  compare ! 


96     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

How  beautiful  and  grand  the  view 

From  many  a  hill  and  mountain-height  — 

But  far  more  fair,  I  tell  you  true, 

Than  scenes  that  merely  the  eyes  delight  — 
That  which  is  pleasing  in  God's  sight ! 


VIOLETS  FROM  THE  "  LITTLE  LOT  ': 

VIOLETS  from  the  "  Little  Lot " 

I  cannot  bring, 
And  these  are  not  — 
For  that  old  homestead  is  no  more, 
Our  happy  home  in  days  of  yore, 

In  youth's  bright  halcyon  hours  :  — 
And  that  fair  park  of  sun  and  shade 
Where  we  as  happy  children  played  — 
Its  winding  walks  —  its  birds  awing  — 
Its  croquet-ground,  greased-pole,  and  swing 

Its  garden  wonderful  of  flowers  — 
Has  like  a  bright  dream  passed  away : 
"  Too  good  to  last,"  as  one  might  say. 


THE  NOTE  OF  DESPAIR 

OUT  upon  this  wicked  world, 
That  turns  the  heart  to  gall !  — 

That  turns  the  heart  to  bitterness, 
Which  once  was  sweet  withal !  — 

That  murders  innocence  for  aye 
Since  time  of  Adam's  fall ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     97 

Do  I  by  this  condemn  myself? 

'S  death !  an'  if  't  be  so, 
Then  let  me  die,  and  quickly  — 

I'll  die  without  a  blow  — 
If  I  be  but  the  like  of  you, 

You're  free  to  lay  me  low ! 

Vacant  let  me  leave  this  spot 

Of  earth  without  ado 
Whereon  my  feet  unwilling  stand 

If  I  be  like  to  you ! 
A  thunderbolt  for  each  of  us  — 

And  let  't  come  quickly,  too ! 

Was  it  for  wickedness  Babylon 

Did  fall  and  was  no  more  ?  — 
Was  it  for  wickedness  came  the  Flood 

That  covered  every  shore? 
Then  surely  'tis  the  day  and  hour, — 

Let  the  rain  pour !  pour ! 


THE  NOTE  OF  REJOICING; 

OR 

THE  DRAGON-KILLERS 

FORGIVE  me,  God,  I  did  forget 

To  thank  Thee  for  this  bread  and  wine, 
And  all  my  blessings  I  forgot, 

That  make  life  half  divine! 
Not  Thee,  not  Thee,  but  Antichrist 

Thy  servant's  words  malign ! 


98     EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

And  as  for  all  his  craven  crew, 

Like  pirates  they  the  world  that  scour 

With  bloody  outrage  that  besmears 
Abominably  every  hour  — 

This  dragon  that  goes  up  and  down 
Seeking  fresh  victims  to  devour :  — 

We  shall  with  swift-descending  steel 
Yet  sever  head  from  heart,  I  trow, — 

Huzza. !  this  dragon  dread  shall  die, 
And  down  before  our  weapons  go, — 

And  all  his  infamous  black  blood 
In  splutterings  of  death  outflow ! 

So  died  the  dragons  of  old  time, 
And  so  shall  die  this  dragon  dread  — 

Priestcraft,  Kingcraft,  Slavery, 
Each  one  has  lost  his  horrid  head ; 

Huzza !  and  now  another  waits  — 
Our  swords  shall  soon  be  red ! 


THE  HERMIT 
I 

BRIDLE   AND   CURB 

ALL  the  forces  of  nature, 
And  gifts  of  God  from  above 

Steam  —  electricity  —  even 
The  passion  of  love, — 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS     99 

Need  to  be  harnessed  and  bridled, 
Need  both  the  curb  and  the  spur, — 

Now  urged,  now  restrained,  ever  guided, 
Else  surely  we  mortals  shall  err ; 

Else  surely  shall  come  dire  disaster, 
Destruction  and  death  and  dismay. 

O,  how  can  we  mortals  walk  steadfast 
In  the  straight  and  narrow  way? 

Impossible  for  us  to  do  it, 

Alone,  without  help  from  on  high :  — 
We  shall  slip,  we  shall  fall,  it  is  certain  — 

The  only  escape  is  to  die! 

How  can  we  these  mighty  forces 
Of  nature  restrain  and  control?  — 

Can  we  curb  the  wrath  of  the  cyclone  — 
Or  bridle  the  waves  when  they  roll? 


II 

THE   POWER  OF   RELIGION 

WITHOUT  God  and  help  of  His  angels, 

'Tis  true  we  should  perish  all ; 
But  with  them  can  we  not  conquer  — 

Stand  fast  and  not  fall? 

To  show  the  way  prophets  endured  it, 
And  in  it  the  saints  meekly  trod ; 

Let  us  take  up  our  cross  and  press  onward, 
And  be  glad,  for  that  way  leads  to  God! 


ioo          EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Let  us  harness  the  wild  powers  of  nature, 
And  drive  them  safely  and  well  — 

And  take  up  our  cross  and  press  onward 
To  Heaven  and  God,  out  of  Hell ! 

Let  us  force  back  the  conquering  legions 
Of  Satan,  on  earth  holding  sway, 

To  the  Bottomless  Pit  whence  they  issued, 
And  haste  on  the  Millennial  Day  ! 


Ill 

OF   LIMITATIONS 

O  ANCIENT  saints  and  prophet  seers, 
Inspired  ye  were,  but  bounded :  — 

O  ancient  creed,  by  men  of  old  — 
Good  men  and  wise  —  compounded, 

Thou  hast  thy  limitations,  too, 
Thou  art  not  all-inclusive, — 

Inspired  thy  authors,  yet  still  men, 
With  thoughts  and  dreams  delusive. 

The  mind  of  man,  can  it  discern, 

Can  it  contain  it  all  — 
The  mind  of  God  —  or  hear  complete 

His  words  from  Heaven  that  fall  ? 

Can  even  saints'  and  prophets'  ken 
Discern  with  unenlightened  eye  — 

Though  God  shall  send  His  visions  down 
And  speak  from  out  the  sky  ? 


EROS  AND  OTHER' 'P6EMS:       '  16  i 

Else  how  comes  it  that  out  of  Christ 
Sprang  arts  and  sciences  renowned, — 

Printing,  painting,  arithmetic, 
Philosophy  profound, — 

Astronomy?     And  even  in 

Religion's  realm,  from  Persia  came 

Much  that  in  the  Christian  creed 
We  orthodoxy  name. 

In  law,  great  Moses  furnished  much, 
But  heathen  Romans  gave  us  more : 

Our  law-books  teem  with  Latin  words, 
And  with  their  heathen  lore. 

The  Jews  were  never  artisans, — 

E'en  in  Solomon's  famous  reign 
Heathen  foreigners  were  sought 

To  build  and  gild  his  fane. 

Columbus  was  a  Christian  man, 

But  how  could  he  have  well  succeeded 

Without  that  little  heathen  toy  — 
The  compass  —  from  the  Chinese  deeded  ? 


IV 

OF  AUTHORITY 

SOME  men  are  gifted,  others  not:  — 
The  gift's  from  God  :  —  Can  we  not  rest 

Assured  that  it  is  wisely  placed, 
With  him  can  use  it  best  ? 


•102          EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

The  honest  artisan  shall  we 

Believe  who  speaks  about  his  trade, — 
And  doubt  the  prophet's  prophecy? 

When  surely  both  are  made 

By  gift  from  God,  with  faithful  soul 

Patient  pursued  through  months  and  years, 

And  only  to  perfection  brought 
By  weary  toil  and  tears? 

The  guest-chamber  who  have  prepared 
Receive  the  guest,  'tis  plain  to  see, — 

By  law  that  sleeps  not  day  or  night 
Come  all  God's  gifts  to  man  that  be. 

For  ages  on  the  stars  men  gazed  — 
The  Arab,  Roman,  Greek,  and  Jew  — 

But  the  secret  of  the  universe 
Copernicus  the  first  that  knew. 

When  Nimrod  speaketh  of  the  chase, 

Napoleon  of  the  art  of  war, — 
Is  it  not  wise  for  most  of  us 

To  silently  their  sage  words  store? 

Only  the  fool  will  wag  his  tongue 
And  hold  presumptuous  debate 

In  things  whereof  he  little  knows 

With  men  who  in  those  things  are  gresFt. 

The  merchant-prince  in  mart  of  trade, 
Discharging  well  his  duties  there, 

Is  fair  to  see ;  but  what  a  dunce 
He'd  be  in  the  professor's  chair ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS          103 

Ah,  beautiful  it  is  to  see 

A  man  in  his  own  branch  a  king, 
Wise  and  great  enough  to  know 

He  knows  not  everything ! 


V 

OF   THE   RIGHT   OF    PRIVATE    JUDGMENT 

THE  right  to  think  for  ourselves  from  God 

We  get,  for  did  He  not  confer 
On  mortal  man  free  agency? 

Though  that  His  creature,  man,  would  err, 

That  privilege  possessing,  He 
Surely  must  full  well  have  seen. 

He  deemed  it  best :  —  that  is  enough 
Us  to  assure  'tis  best,  I  ween. 

And  who  but  well  can  understand 
That  it  is  best  it  thus  should  be  ? 

Who  is  there  feels  not  fierce  revolt, 
And  will  not  do  that  thing,  not  he, 

If  means  Procrustean  are  used 

His  mind  or  ways  to  mend  or  change  ? 

On  this  point  all  men  are  agreed, 

Howe'er  diverse  in  thought  they  range. 

Keep,  then,  thy  privilege  God-given !  — 
And  may  it  ne'er  be  ta'en  from  thee  — 

Freedom  of  thought !    May  't  have  a  home 
For  aye  in  this  land  of  the  free ! 


104          EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

And  if  you  understand  and  know 
The  mighty  issues  thereon  bide, — 

And  choose  aright, — 'tis  well ;  but,  ah, 
If  wrong  you  choose,  then  woe  betide ! 

"  But  God  is  merciful,"  you  say, 

"  And  God  forgives,  and  if  we  make 
An  error  in  all  honesty, 
He  will  not  us  forsake." 

God  will  not  willingly  forsake 
His  lowest  creature,  but  if  you 

Shall  Him  forsake,  He  will  not  pass 
That  proud  partition  through. 

"  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock,"  said  Christ ; 

Unless  you  open  wide  the  door, 
He  will  not  enter  in,  but  stands 
And  knocks  forevermore. 

That  man  will  only  deign  accept 
What  he  can  understand  and*see, 

Of  his  own  reason,  of  his  own 
Experience, —  a  fool  is  he. 

Be  he  in  every  way  the  peer 

Of  any,  he  cannot  contain 
The  whole  of  wit  and  wisdom  in 

His  own  poor  little  brain. 

That  such  and  such  are  true,  he  knows ; 

By  his  experience  well  taught. 
But  if  he  all  things  waits  to  learn 

Experience  by,  he  shall  be  brought 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS          105 

To  perfect  wisdom  never,  though 

He  live  Methuselah's  length  of  years ; 

He  must  have  faith  in  others,  faith 
In  God,  and  open  eyes  and  ears. 

May  not  the  thoughts  of  other  men  — 

My  equals  —  be  as  good  as  mine? 
And  their  convictions  valid  as 

My  own  ?  —  The  evidence  and  sign 

Of  greatest  wisdom  surely  is 

For  man  this  truth  to  recognize :  — 

He  cannot  all  things  of  himself 
Discern,  but  must  use  others'  eyes. 

Remember  and  do  not  forget 

Your  own  judgment  to  use  and  wit; 

God  you  endowed  with  them  for  this, — 
And  you  must  see  to  it. 

Be  free !  be  free !  —  but  not  too  free ; 

Have  faith !  —  but  not  too  much. 
Be  true  to  all,  true  to  yourself, — 

And  Heaven  waits  for  such ! 


VI 

OF   THE   ANCIENT    AND    MODERN 

THE  men  of  old  were  circumscribed,- 
'Tis  needless  almost  to  rehearse, — 

Abridged  and  wrong  to  a  degree 
Their  knowledge  of  the  universe 


106          EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

But  God,  this  world,  and  Satan, 
This  earth,  and  Heaven  and  Hell, 

Are  still  the  most  momentous  themes 
That  in  man's  mind  can  dwell. 

And  life  is  pretty  much  the  same 
On  earth  to-day,  from  A  to  Z, 

As  when  Bible  was  writ  or  Christ 
Preached  in  Galilee. 

Do  telegraph  and  telephone, 

And  phonograph,  and  such, 
Change  God  and  Heaven,  Devil  and  Hell, 

Abolish  death,  or  much 

Change  or  alter  man  himself  — 
His  character  —  the  real  man  ? 

No ;  'tis  the  same  old  universe 
That  we  with  wider  vision  scan. 

For  man's  of  woman  born  to-day 
As  formerly,  and  for  him  wait 

The  joys  and  ills  of  earthly  life 
That  ever  were  his  fate. 

Waits  God  and  Heaven,  Devil  and  Hell, 
And  spirits  good  or  bad  shall  him 

Surround,  and  all  his  steps  attend 
As  formerly,  though  't  be  his  whim 

Or  choice  with  Ingersoll  to  hold 

That  all  these  things  have  passed  away, 

Or  never  were ;  it  alters  not 

The  fact ;  —  they  still  hold  sway. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS          107 
VII 

OF    THE    MILLENNIUM 

THE  Persian  faith  in  this  wise  runs :  — 
Shall  come  an  awful  day  of  flame, 

Nature  shall  purified  then  be, 

And  Hell  henceforth  be  but  a  name ; 

And  Hell  henceforth  be  part  of  Heaven, 

And  even  Satan  transformed  be 
Into  an  angel :    Some  such  thing 

Some  saintly  Christians  hope  to  see. 

God  knows,  and  He  alone  can  know, 
Man  can  but  guess  and  guess  again, — 

Man  cannot  hope  in  word  or  act 
Perfection  to  attain. 

Man's  creeds  approximations  are, 

And  not  the  pure  and  perfect  truth, — 

Impossible  that  that  could  be, 
For  is  not  language  too  uncouth  ? 

God  help  us  all !     Thy  help  we  need ! 

Lead  us  the  way  that  we  should  go ! 
For  we  are  foolish,  willful,  blind, — 

The  way  we  cannot  know. 


FAIRYLAND 

"WHERE'S  Fairyland,  father?"  cried  little  Jack, 

"  Indeed  I  want  to  know !  " 
"  Where  is  it  ?  "  cried  little  Eleanor, 

"  Let's  all  pack  up  and  go !  " 


io8          EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

"  Well,  'tis  like  this,"  their  father  said, 

"  The  way  to  go  is  this :  — 

You  run  across  the  rainbow, — 

The  way  you  cannot  miss. 

"  The  other  end  the  rainbow 

Is  Fairyland  so  fair ; 

And  any  time  you  see  one 

'Tis  easy  to  go  there. 

"  Get  on  this  end  the  rainbow 

And  run  across  —  that's  all." 

*     #     *     * 

"  But  won't  it  break?  "  asked  little  Jack, 
"  And  then  we'd  get  a  fall." 

Their  father  smiled.     "  The  secret 
Is  this,  my  children  dear, — 

You  cannot  cross  the  rainbow 
With  either  frown  or  tear. 

"  If  you  are  good,  'tis  easy  — 

It  will  not  bend  or  shake,, — 
But  if  you're  naughty,  down  you  go  — 
A  cross  word  makes  it  break. 

"  The  fairies  know — they're  on  the  watch 

Forever,  night  and  day, — 
If  little  girls  and  boys  are  good, 
The  bridge  will  not  give  way. 

"  If  you  want  to  go  to  Fairyland, 

You  see,  you  must  watch  out :  — 
You  cannot  fool  the  fairies  — 
They  see  you  frown  and  pout ; 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS          109 

"  But  if  you're  good  the  rainbow  bridge 

All  safe  and  strong  will  stand ; 
And  easy  'tis  to  run  across, 
And  get  to  Fairyland." 

"  If  that  is  so,"  cried  little  Jack, 
"  -Let's  all  be  good,  /  say !  — 
We'll  all  be  sorry  if  we  don't, 
That's  just  as  plain  as  day!" 

"  You're  fooling  us !  "  cried  Eleanor, 

"  There  is  no  rainbow  bridge  /  know ! 
There  is  no  Fairyland  at  all  — 
My  teacher  told  me  so ! 

"  There  is  no  really,  truly  bridge  — 

No  really,  truly  Fairyland, — 
You're  only  fooling  Jack  and  me !  " 
Her  father  smiled  and  kissed  her  hand. 

"  So  beautiful  'tis  to  be  good 

It  is  a  rainbow-bridge  indeed !  " 
He  said,  "  that  into  Fairyland 
Does  really,  truly  lead !  " 


LOVERS'  LANE 

A  WINDING  lane  through  leafy  shade, 
Where  lovers  oft'  their  steps  delayed  — 
Beneath  whose  leafy  bowers  were  told 
Full  oft'  the  tale  shall  ne'er  grow  old. 


no    EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

O,  blest  forever  be  that  road 
Of  love  the  sacred,  sweet  abode! 
What  tales  of  love  the  birds  could  tell 
That  sing  within  that  leafy  dell 


Of  kisses  'neath  th'  embowering  trees  — 
Of  tender  words  borne  by  the  breeze, — 
Love's  solemn  vow  and  tender  word 
That  only  the  birds  and  the  angels  heard! 


THE  WORD  THAT  IS  SWEETEST 

THE  word  that  is  sweetest  and  dearest  of  any, 
Shall  we  neglect  it  and  leave  it  unsaid? 

The   best   word   of  all  —  though   good   words   are 

many  — 
O  shall  we  not  speak  it  before  we  are  dead? 


Hallowed  the  names  be  of  father  and  mother! 

Where  child  in  his  trundle-bed  lispeth  and  coos, — 
But  home  is  where  love  is  and  there  is  no  other, 

And  some  must  live  single  for  how  can  they 
choose? 


The  love- word !  the  best  word  among  words  im 
mortal  ! 

The  nightingale's  singing  beside  it  is  naught !  — 
We  are  waifs  of  the  ocean  that  fly  to  thy  portal, 

O  harbor  of  home  with  love's  happiness  fraught ! 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS          in 


LINES 

SPLENDORS  of  earth  and  sky  — 
Sister,  do  not  die! 

We  need  earth's  angels  here  — 
Stay,  sister  dear! 

The  world  is  low  and  vile, 
But  stay  awhile ! 

For  there  be  heroes  still  — 
And  save  they  will ! 

And  there  be  saints  e'en  yet, 
So  do  not  fret ! 

God's  power  shall  still  prevail  — 
It  will  not  fail ! 


MY  BOYHOOD  SWEETHEART 

WHY  did  I  meet  her, 
Merely  to  greet  her, 
Then  to  depart? 

In  dreams  ever  after 

To    hear   her   sweet    laughter  — 

My  boyhood  sweetheart! 

Her  face  what  a  vision 
Of  bright  realms  elysian 
It  makes  the  tears  start ! 


ii2          EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

Our  heads  now  are  hoary 
And  gone  is  life's  glory  — 
My  boyhood  sweetheart ! 


A  TRUCE,  A  TRUCE  TO  LOVE'S  ALARMS 

A  TRUCE,  a  truce  to  love's  alarms 
Till  we  meet  in  heaven  above !  — 

I  dreamt  I  held  her  in  my  arms 
And  kissed  the  maid  I  love. 


O  sweet !  but  thou  wast  far  away 
From  me  when  morning  broke, 

Howbeit  the  sweetness  still  did  stay 
Long  after  I  awoke. 

No  more,  I  can  endure  no  more, — 

There  is  a  limit  set, —  „ 
Till  we  shall  meet  on  heaven's  shore, 

Beyond  earth's  toil  and  fret. 


BY  THE  RIVER 

THE  red  light  of  the  sunset  fades 
And  fades,  and  dies  away :  — 

And  fair  upon  the  river  falls 
The  twilight  dim  and  gray :  — 

The  wind  is  high,  the  waters  toss 
And  tumble  in  rude  play. 


EROS  AND  OTHER  POEMS          113 

Slow  drops  the  night,  the  shadows  steal 

Around  the  hills  and  hide :  — 
And  o'er  the  hills  and  up  the  sky 

The  queenly  moon  doth  ride :  — 
Pretty  Jeannette!  how  happy  I 

If  thou  wert  at  my  side ! 

The  tossing  waters  swish  against 

The  dam  and  it  spill  o'er: — 
I  muse  within  the  summer-house 

That  dots  the  river  shore :  — 
"  Sweetheart !  "  I  muse,  "  once  we  have  met  — 

Shall  we  meet  nevermore  ?  " 

The  swish,  swish,  of  the  waters  how 

It  fascinates  my  ears :  — 
How  tender  shines  the  moonlight  on 

The  waters  through  my  tears :  — 
Sweetheart !  thy  voice  that  once  I  heard  — 

How  sweet !  —  my  spirit  hears. 


THE   END 


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